Speeding policy passes through council

“It’s a good policy,” says Orléans Coun. Bob Monette of the approved updates to Ottawa’s speed zoning policy, passed by council on Oct. 28. “It’s giving an option for people to use these resources. It empowers the community.”

The new legislation, according to city staff, was created in a bid to promote faster response time to speeding-related concerns, expand its school speed zone program and get the community involved in setting residential limits.

Under the changes – which are meant to create a “point of reference” and “consistent application” for dealing with speeding issues – 66 per cent consensus from property owners along local residential streets will be required to lower limits to 40 km/h. Minor collector roads will continue to use a warrant system to determine if they meet criteria for lower speeds, while major collector and arterial roads will have their limits decided using the 85th percentile operating speed. “If 66 per cent of residents on a street sign a petition … that’s what it takes to change (the limit),” Monette adds. “Then it’s pretty well a done deal.”

Though the major benchmarks within the policy focus on procedure for setting speed limits on gravel roads, establishing school safety zones and posting 40 km/h limits on local residential streets, the updated policy will also see additional funds of $100,000 directed towards more speed limit signage and a new requirement for developers to install 40 km/h as applicable in upcoming neighbourhoods.

Another section of the policy amendments will have the city making several requests to the provincial government, including changes to the Highway Traffic Act to double fines within school zones and permission to make default, unsigned speed limits other than 50 km/h on residential streets.

It’s that portion, however, Monette continues, that may have the potential for issues, explaining his only concerns rest with not having directional signs on most streets and the idea of having a 40 km/h speed limit across the board.

While residents in a particular area may be familiar with streets and what likely speed limits are, those who are new coming to an unsigned roadway won’t be able to make the same assumptions, he suggests, which will only mean fines and frustration for local drivers. “It could just as easily be 50 or 60 km/h (rather than 40 km/h),” Monette says.

And though 40 km/h zones near local schools is appropriate, trying to implement that speed across the city overall is a bad move, he adds, pointing to streets including Charlemagne that are better-suited for a higher speed limit.