Essa Township is stepping up its commitment to safer roads.
At tonight’s committee of the whole meeting, beginning at 6 p.m., new community safety zones are expected to be added following the review of a staff report that recommends the municipality reduce the speed limit from 80 to 60 kilometres per hour on two township roads — 5th Sideroad from the 9th Line to County Road 56, and the 10th Sideroad between County Road 56 and County Road 27.
According to a report written by John Kolb, the township’s interim manager of public works, both the 5th and 10th sideroads “represent a potential hazard” due to their natural configuration.
“The purpose of the speed-limit reductions are to improve road safety, encourage a calmer, pedestrian-friendly environment (where applicable), minimize accident severity and frequency, and to mitigate traffic-related risks,” Kolb wrote in his report.
The township retained Planmac Engineering to evaluate the appropriateness of the current speed limit of 80 km/h and to conduct a speed-limit review.
Based on the review, Planmac recommended the following for the 5th Sideroad:
- Reduce the posted speed limit, from the 9th Line to County Road 56, from 80 to 60 km/h
- Implement additional safety measures, including the deployment of electronic speed signs, photo radar and enhanced police enforcement
- Introduce a bylaw to designate the road segment between 8th and 9th lines on the 5th Sideroad as a community safety zone, in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31st of each year, and place signs in accordance with the regulation of the Highway Traffic Act.
For the 10th Sideroad, Planmac recommended:
- Maintain the current lower posted speed limits through the hamlet of Egbert (i.e., 50 km/h) and in the vicinity of the Bralley Crescent residential development (i.e., 60 km/h)
- Reduce the posted speed limit on road segments beyond Egbert and the Brolley Crescent subdivision from 80 to 60 km/h to provide speed consistency and uniformity for drivers
- Implement additional safety measures, including the deployment of electronic speed signs, photo radar and enhanced police enforcement
- Introduce a bylaw to designate this section of the 10th Sideroad as a community safety zone, in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each year, and place signs in accordance with the regulation of the Highway Traffic Act.
According to Kolb’s report, the township will require approximately 28 signs (speed limit; notice of speed limits being reduced and community safety zone signs) on both the 5th Sideroad and 10th Sideroad sections.
Kolb estimated the cost for the signs at approximately $8,300, which is within the approved 2025 public works operating budget.
