Drivers with lead feet might want to take a light touch while travelling through Bradford.
Based on a report from town transportation technologist Paul Dubniak, and an amendment from Ward 3 Coun. Ben Verkaik, the strategic initiatives committee recommended council approve changing speed limits along three sections of rural roads, during the committee’s Jan. 28 meeting.
As a result, the section of Line 3 between County Road 25 and Sideroad 5 is set to be decrease to 60 km/h from 80 km/h, the section of Sideroad 5 between 2171 Sideroad 5 and Stirling Crescent is set to increase to 80 km/h from 60 km/h, and the section of Line 10 between County Road 27 and Sideroad 5 is set to decrease to 60 km/h from 80 km/h.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Verkaik said of reducing the speed limit on Line 3 even further than the 70km/h recommended in the report.
Verkaik represents the area in which the sections of Line 3 and Sideroad 5 are located, and based his amendment partially on a request in a letter from Cathy and Glen Jansen, which Tara Reynolds, town clerk, read out during open forum.
In the letter, the Jansens say their family has lived on Line 3 for more than 37 years and in that time it has become “increasingly dangerous,” with dump trucks and other vehicles “whizzing past at dangerously high speeds.”
Despite having more homes than other nearby concession roads “by far” at about 35, Verkaik noted Line 3 is the only one in the area to still have a speed limit of 80 km/h while others are either 50 km/h or 60 km/h.
On top of that, he explained the road includes a site at which 480,000 cubic metres of fill are eventually expected to be dumped, requiring about 48,000 loads from dump trucks, and he estimated work is only 15 to 20 per cent complete.
As such, Verkaik suggested reducing the speeds would not only improve safety, but also reduce wear and tear on the road.
Mayor James Leduc said he “absolutely” supports the report and the amendment, which was echoed by several councillors, including Ward 5 Coun. Peter Ferragine, who represents the area including the section of Line 10.
He said residents had been asking for the changes for a while, with speeding along rural roads being a “constant complaint,” especially in areas that have homes.
“I tend to agree with these comments. Our speed limits are all over the map for different reasons,” Ferragine said.
Both he and Leduc suggested having staff report back on setting new standards for speed limits on town roads, which several councillors supported and Ward 6 Coun. Nickolas Harper noted the now defunct community and traffic safety advisory committee had already begun work on that concept.
In his report, Dubniak explained the recommended speeds for these three sections were based on the Transportation Association of Canada’s guidelines that account for several factors including: road geometry, lane width, road hazards, vulnerable road user exposure and road make-up.
Dubniak estimates the cost to update road speed signs would be about $1,000 and should come from the 2025 community safety and traffic congestion budget.
The report comes in response to a request from Ward 3 Coun. Ben Verkaik, which was briefly discussed during the committee’s Nov. 26 meeting.
The committee also recommended council approve updating the list of the town’s community safety zones (CSZs), to add the area around the Bradford and District Memorial Community Centre and Centennial Park at 125 Simcoe Rd., as well as the County of Simcoe affordable housing development at 151 Simcoe Rd. The new CSZ would include Simcoe Road from Centre Street to Walker Avenue and the length of Marshview Boulevard.
That builds on the committee’s previous efforts to ensure all parks are within a CSZ after they added four new CSZs on Nov. 26, in addition to the 35 new CSZs added in October 2023.
“We forgot the biggest park in town and I would like to add it to the list, please,” Ward 2 Coun. Jonathan Scott said.
CSZs are areas where the safety of children and residents is considered paramount. While the rules of the road do not change in those zones, signs inform drivers that fines and penalties for traffic violations are increased.
Recommendations from the strategic initiatives committee are considered for approval at the next regular council meeting.