Road safety top of mind for regional council

Road safety was the focus for regional councillors Wednesday night.

Council passed a motion to reduce the speed limit on Myers Road in Cambridge from 50 km/h to 40, in an effort to make school zones safer in an area seeing intensification and ongoing construction.

“This issue was accentuated when a child was hit in front of Moffat Creek School just this past September,” said councillor and Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry. “Fortunately, (the child) has recovered, but had those speeds been lowered, we do know that the outcomes for those that are hit, whether on bicycle or pedestrians, are certainly improved.”

She told council decreased speeds decrease stopping distance.

“We, as elected officials, take our role in facilitating public safety as a top priority,” McGarry said. “And indeed, road safety issues are one of the top reasons why people reach out to elected officials.”

She said about 20 individuals sent letters to council. Regional councillor Karl Kiefer added they've been inundated with calls and emails.

The school community and its transportation service contributed to the motion. 

Regional staff are also working on a report of all school zones within the region that do not have speed limits of 40 km/h.

Woolwich Township Mayor Sandy Shantz told council she was happy to support the motion, and speed limits of residential areas in the township have been lowered to 40 km/h. 

“But, in the rural areas, we've lowered it from 80 to 60,” she said. “Happy to hear a report back on all of them, but I'm not sure lowering from 80 to 40 would be a reasonable change.”

Speaking of road safety at regional council, roundabouts were on the agenda too.

They're being proposed at Cedar Creek and Trussler Road and Dickie Settlement and Roseville Road in North Dumfries, New Dundee Road and Robert Ferrie Drive in Kitchener, and Sawmill Road and Ebycrest Road in Woolwich Township.

The region said roundabouts result in fewer serious collisions and fatalities, and fewer green house gas emissions than traffic signals.

It's looking to hear from the public at EngageWR before making a decision.