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Changes to speed limits proposed

Changes to several speed limits are on the table for County council to review at Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Updates in brackets. Final approvals at Nov. 26 council meeting.

Several recommendations are suggested by the Traffic Advisory Committee for approval, with recommendations from the Development Services Department:

– Posted speed limit for Wellington Main Street, between Consecon and Beach streets, be reduced to 40km/h (from 50km/h) and designated as a ‘Community Safety Zone’. It also seeks a ‘school area’ sign be installed west of Maple Street. (Approved)

– No action on requests to change the posted speed limit on Ridge Road and that it remain at 70km/h. (Approved)

– Adding Union Street (from existing 50km/h portion to 140m east of Pine Ridge Drive) to 50km/h and adding Union Street / County Road 8, from 140m east of Pine Ridge Drive to 640m east of Pine Ridge Drive to 60km/h. It is also recommended Union Street be monitored by staff for the next year – from Church to Maitland streets – for the need of a speed watch board, or speed radar sign. (Approved)

– Reduction of the speed limit for Loyalist Parkway, between Salem Road and Lakeside Drive, to 70km/h from 80km/h. (Amendment approved to extend zone from Millennium Trail to County Road 1, and reduce speed limit to 60km/h. And that the area be further analyzed as part of the Transportation Master Plan.)

– Extend the 50km/h speed zone on County Road 22 (from Church Street to 100m west of London Ave) to 50km/h and reduce the current speed limit for County Road 22 from 100m west of London Ave to County Road 10 to 60km/h from 80km/h. (Approved)

– Install traffic calming (speed humps, pavement markings and signage) on Jane Street in Picton, but maintain speed limit at 50km/h. (Motion failed. Other roads, such as Paul, or Johnson suggested as better locations to test use hump in urban setting. Cherry Valley suggested as test spot for rural setting.) UPDATE Nov. 26 – Will be referred to staff for further information.

– Establish a community safety zone on Picton Main Street East between Maple Ave and McFarland Drive. Install a maximum speed 50km/h sign at the McFarland Drive intersection as the speed limit is being violated near the hospital. Community Safety Zone signage increases penalties for traffic violations and are generally installed near schools, day care centres, parks, hospitals, seniors’ residences or collision prone areas. (Approved)

– School zone maximum speed 40km/h signs around Prince Edward Collegiate and a maximum speed 50km/h sign installed at the end of the school zone. (Approved)

– Reduce speed limit on County Road 34 to 70km/h from 80km/h from County Road 4 to County Road 5. (Approved)

Following discussion at Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, a final decision would be made at council’s regular meeting Nov. 26.

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  1. Theresa says:

    PEC does not care at all about pedestrians. Except maybe in the summer, when they are in from away spending big money on Main Street.

  2. Rob #2 says:

    Re: the town hill, I’m not totally buying the winter argument. There are steep hills with traffic signals on them in Toronto, and yes, some people do get stuck, but they are installed for safety and with a strong emphasis on winter maintenance here this might be reduced. That there aren’t more wrecks at the top of the town hill is probably owing more to good luck then good driving skills.

    At the very least put lights there for the busier dry season and turn them off in the fall for the winter. Or look at other measures to create breaks there by putting lights somewhere at the bottom of the hill.

    And it’s not just a problem for motorists, it’s hardly a pedestrian friendly intersection either, and in what amounts to the downtown of a municipality, it needs to be improved for pedestrians also.

  3. Todd says:

    Rob #2:
    If drivers are aware of their surroundings, as they should be, then the town hill is no issue. It is properly signed and has a flashing yellow light coming up the hill. It’s not an intersection problem, it’s a inept driver problem.

  4. old local says:

    Rob # 2.
    They have talked about it for years. Problem is you can’t stop vehicles coming up the hill in the winter. Or they won’t get moving again. The potential of Tractor trailers , loaded dump trucks or a school bus sliding down the town hill backwards leaves very few if any options. Even the bypass idea doesn’t solve all the problems as large trucks still need to unload on Main street. Maybe a “KEEP MOVING” sign with flashers might help. ??? Toughie for sure.

  5. Fred says:

    Hwy 33 was not downloaded to the County.

  6. Dave Nixon says:

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Laws without enforcement are worthless. I live on County “drag strip” 33 between Bloomfield and Wellington. I’ve lived here for 10+ years. I can assure you that OPP cruisers are an endangered species. Proactive policing is history. Once people realize there’s little chance of getting caught, they’ll just ignore the speed limits. The area where I live has an 80 km/h speed limit. Lots of wildlife including deer and endangered turtles. If endangered turtles are going to survive, we’re going to have to slow down in an effort to reduce the slaughter. Since the provincial government downloaded provincial highways 33 and 49 to the County, the County has failed to maintain these roads to provincial standards. In some places, motorists don’t have enough visibility (due to encroaching vegetation) to get stopped from 80 km/h. In my opinion, 80 km/h on long stretches of these roads is no longer inappropriate. The limit on both roads should be 70 km/h.

  7. Rob #2 says:

    Still waiting for someone down there to address that ridiculous corner at the top of the town hill. I gather there is so much pride that the “locals” know how to navigate that corner but the time has come to do something there.

    Should also be a traffic light at Elizabeth Street and Main Street.

  8. Dennis Fox says:

    Having proper speed limits is key to safe driving and in making safe neighbourhoods – however, if they are not going to be followed nor enforced, then all this effort is for not.

  9. SHARON GLORIA ARMITAGE says:

    Thats great we have speed limit reduced thank you But again I say 1 school sign west of Maple doesn’t cut it.. there are two school signs sitting in Bloomfield and no school .. On main st wellington we need at leat 4 signs showing there is a school on the Main highway .. For goodness sake get some signs up showing there is kids crossing there.. Bloomfield had 4 signs a cross walk and a crossing guard.. We can do better and should do better

  10. Todd says:

    “…reduce the current speed limit for County Road 22 from 100m west of London Ave to County Road 10 to 60km/h from 80km/h.”

    This makes no sense. Is The County just trying to increase revenue in the form of traffic tickets??

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