Quieter streets where traffic moves at a slower pace could be on the horizon for sa国际传媒.听
City councillors will review the municipalitysa国际传媒 current practices around traffic calming installations, with a view to making their deployment more consistent, based on reliable data, and dependent on significant neighborhood support.听
One key change: where traffic calming measures are being considered, residents within a specified area will be directly consulted by the city, and the project would not move forward if more than 30 per cent are opposed.听
If there is support, residents will be given the choice between two or more traffic calming designs, with city staff explaining the relative benefits and drawbacks of each proposal.听
And traffic calming for any specific location will not be considered if the same spot has been evaluated in the previous five years, unless the number of surrounding residential units has increased by at least 20 per cent or a new street has significantly altered travel patterns.听
At Mondaysa国际传媒 morning meeting, staff will invite feedback from councillors before developing the details of the updated traffic calming policy.听
Bureaucrats, councillors, residents, and traffic experts debate the effectiveness of measures designed to slow the speed of cars and trucks. Some say they make streets quieter and safer, but others doubt their utility. Studies have suggested some motorists, frustrated by the slight delay, may accelerate to make up for lost time, or just detour onto other roads, simply shifting the traffic concerns elsewhere.听
鈥淪peed humps not address noise concerns, and, in fact, generally contribute to increased noise and additional braking, acceleration and jarring noises from larger vehicles,鈥 Elsie Lemke, then the town manager in Peachland, told councillors in April 2019 when there was a call by some for traffic calming on scenic Beach Avenue.听
In 2020, 26 of 36 homeowners at the north end of Campbell Road in West sa国际传媒 signed a petition asking for traffic calming. But a study showed average speeds were not frequently above the posted limit, and there was no significant accident history in the area.听
Several councillors noted Campbell Road was a dead-end street. If residents believe speeding is an issue, Coun. Jason Friesen said, residents should 鈥渢alk to your neighbours鈥.
On the other hand, the squeaky wheel sometimes does get the grease.听
In 2015, sa国际传媒 city councillors heard that half of the 100-plus citizen requests for traffic calming measures came from Rutland. That year, the spent its entire $250,000 budget for traffic calming in Rutland.听
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