Residents in Essex worried about speeding may not be entirely pleased with some recommendations going before councillors on Monday night.
Two reports address speeding, one about traffic concerns on Gesto Sideroad and the other regarding a possible Community Safety Zone on South Talbot Road between Victoria Avenue and Maidstone Avenue.
(Photo by Adelle Loiselle)
Town staff conducted a traffic study on Gesto Side Road between South Malden Road and Malden Road last fall and found that despite a posted speed limit of 50 km/h, the prevailing speed drivers used on that stretch was 69 km/h.
The prevailing speed is the speed that 85 per cent of drivers will drive on a given road.
"The assumption underlying the 85th percentile speed is that most drivers will operate their vehicle at speeds they perceive safe," said a report. "Speed limits set above or below the 85th percentile speed will create unsafe driving conditions due to speed differential as some drivers adhere strictly to the law while others drive the naturally-induced speed."
The report continues to point out that unless the town changes the characteristics of the road, speed limit signs won't likely change driver behaviour. It recommends when Essex eventually replaces Gesto Sideroad, it could make changes conducive to lower speeds.
Instead, it suggested a speed radar sign program showing drivers how fast they are going.
Those signs cost $4,000 each, and the report recommends two, one for drivers headed in each direction.
In the 2022 capital budget, councillors set aside $20,000 to buy Blackcat Radar Recorders. The town bought two for $12,000, leaving $8,000 in the budget to buy the speed radar signs.
Councillors will also review a report on Monday night regarding implementing a Community Safety Zone on South Talbot Street. They previously requested the designation, saying public safety in the section between Victoria Street and Maidstone Avenue was a concern.
Community Safety Zone sign. Photo courtesy of the Sarnia Police Service via Facebook.
Typically those zones are located near schools, daycares, playgrounds, parks, senior citizen homes, and hospitals. Police may also request the designation on roads where there are a lot of collisions. There are increased fines for traffic violations in those areas.
However, the Ontario Provincial Police did not appear to support the request.
"This request for a Community Safety Zone seems premature given the status of the newly opened portion of this road, coupled with the incomplete construction of Hwy. 3 expansion," the OPP replied. "The residents in this area may be asking for a Community Safety Zone, but a more calculated approach is necessary. I feel traffic volume will lessen once Hwy. 3 is completed."
It felt the town should wait and see how traffic patterns change before implementing a zone.
"It is anticipated that the road will likely settle down once the construction, both residentially and [on the] highway, settles," the OPP opinion continued. "Overregulation is a deterrent to the community too, and leads to frustration."