In the wake of resident concerns about speeding, the city is going to look into establishing community safety zones along two of the city’s arterial roads.
At Monday’s council meeting, Ward 3 councillors Jay Fallis and Jeff Czetwerzuk requested a city staff report on the feasibility of establishing community safety zones along Bass Lake Sideroad, between addresses 3171 and 3211, and along Stone Ridge Boulevard, between its intersections with University Avenue and Orion Boulevard.
Although both are designated arterial roads, Fallis highlighted that there are numerous residences along the two streets.
“Because of the number of constituent complaints in both of these areas regarding speed, the big challenge is that … if you're driving along, you might not know that they're considered arterial roads, which are comparable to a Fittons or a West Street,” he said.
Fallis said their status as arterial roads “limits us from exploring traffic calming petitions and going through the standard policy” to introduce neighbourhood traffic calming measures, and gained council’s support for a staff report on the issue prior to the 2025 budget deliberations.
Community safety zones carry increased fines for speeding.
Coun. Ralph Cipolla, however, noted there have been similar complaints on other city streets — such as Nottawasaga Street, Mary Street, Atherley Road, and Barrie Road — and suggested the report “look at the whole picture, rather than just one specific area.”
“I don't know how many of the roads mentioned are arterial. I would think Atherley would be … but the other ones I'm not too sure they would be considered arterial,” responded Fallis.
“The reason this has been brought forward in this way is because standard traffic, common policy won't apply," he explained.
“Even though they're designated arterial, they very much function as residential streets, so the impacts of having traffic speeding along these areas is that much more dangerous,” Fallis continued. “I know with Bass Lake Side Road, they've had several accidents, with cars … going off the road onto the lawns coming down the hill, so we're trying to be proactive and address the issue.”
A report on the issue is due back to council by Oct. 7, 2024.
