Waterloo to reduce residential speed limits to 30 km/h

You're going to have to drive slower through Waterloo.

City councillors decided to lower speed limits for residential and collector streets to 30 km/h, in a split vote. 

The debate was over how much to lower the limits. 

Waterloo staff had recommended a plan to reduce 50 km/h limits to 40 km/h, except in school zones where the limit would be 30 km/h.

This plan included advice from traffic planners, and was supported by local services, like Grand River Transit and Waterloo Fire.

Input gathered by city hall also showed the public backed 40 km/h limits.

Instead, councillor Royce Bodaly introduced a motion to lower limits on residential and collector streets to 30 km/h.

“Somebody going 75 km/h in front of a neighbourhood park or a school or just on any residential street, in my opinion, they should be subject to a stunt driving charge. And they would, if we went to 30, but would not if we went to 40,” he said in a city council meeting on Monday.

Waterloo staff were looking at research showing that lower speed limits are safer. 

“The pilot projects within the city, limited as they may be, they verify the emerging data that we've seen from around the world. That data has shown that there have been reductions in casualties, reductions in serious injuries, and reductions in vehicular accidents, and that these correspond to drops in speeds,” Bodaly said. 

He said the 30 km/h limit had the support of parents and Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region.

“We've been told that the real solution is to drastically limit the number of parents who drive their kids to school. On the flipside, we've been told that when they survey parents about why they drive their kids to school, it's a catch 22,” said Royce.

“They say that they drive their kids to school because they don't feel safe letting them walk or cycle the entire route, not just in front of schools.”

Royve argued that children walk or cycle outside of school zones. 

Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky voted against the 30 km/h limit, telling councillors 40 km/h speed limits would be “more palatable” to the public.

Councillor Angela Veith agreed.

“People are going, '30? You might as well block off the road,'” she said.

“I just think 30 is too inhibiting, too slow. I think we can get where we want to go with 40.”

Veith said Waterloo should be consistent with Kitchener, which has speed limits of 40 km/h.

The vote was 5-3, with councillors Royce Bodaly, Jeff Henry, Tenille Bonoguore, Diane Freeman, and Jen Vasic supporting 30 km/h limits.

Waterloo staff will work to phase in the speed change by 2025.

Costs to change over signs are estimated at $500,000.

Waterloo council can consider 40 km/h limits on specific residential streets.