LITTLE CURRENT—Northeast Town council received a petition from 35 residents of Meredith Street West in Little Current who expressed concern with the excessive speeds they are seeing on their road and asking council to consider the placement of speed bumps during the non-snow plow season.
“These signatures represent the many households between Hayward Street and Worthington Street,” the accompanying letter from Robert McDonald, who initiated the petition, states. “The residents of this area are very concerned with the speed of traffic on this street during the day and into the night hours.”
CAO Dave Williamson began the council discussion by saying that speed bumps are not what are wanted, but rather speed humps,
Mr. Williamson said issues would be created with drivers hitting the speed humps and causing damage as well as traffic simply moving to other streets and causing the same problem elsewhere.
“We have put speed (radar) signs on Meredith Street to get some stats to give CPAC (Community Policing Advisory Committee),” Mr. Williamson noted.
Councillor Michael Erskine noted the current pilot project on Blake Street. Two central pylons have been placed on the street in front of the public school. Their aim is to slow drivers down by causing them to focus their attention more on their driving.
“We have had no comment, zero feedback, from anybody,” Mr. Williamson said.
Councillor Erskine said no feedback was likely a good sign as people are less likely to complain when they are happy. “If they prove effective, let’s try it (on Meredith Street) and make these people happy,” the councillor added.
Mr. Williamson that the cost per central pylon is $300 as opposed to $2,000 per speed hump.
“When I saw this petition come through, it drew great concern,” said Councillor Al Boyd. “Thirty-five members of the community have put concerns through. It’s not that I’m opposed, however we need a lot more staff information to make a good, informed decision.”
Councillor Boyd brought several things forward for consideration, including the fact that Little Current lowered its speed limit to 40 km/hr a couple of years ago, which likely brought the speeds closer in line to 50 km/hr; a stop sign could be placed at the Meredith and Dupont streets intersection (on Meredith Street as Dupont already sports stop signs); and the purchase of utility pole-mounted safety signs; the purchase of a utility pole-mounted ‘stealth’ radar sign.
Councillor Boyd also shared a few statistics with council, including the fact that studies have shown that for each speed hump encountered, 10 seconds is shaved off emergency response time; property values on streets with speed humps are less than their neighbours without speed humps; those residents of streets with speed humps will see more vehicle wear and tear, a decrease in fuel efficiency; and an increase in noise.
“I’m not opposed,” Councillor Boyd reiterated, “but we need to be fully aware before making any decisions.”
Councillor Dawn Orr suggested hiring a traffic engineer to show them the options. “I think the residents are really concerned some kid is going to get hurt,” she said.
Councillor Bill Koehler shared the sense of urgency felt by the Meredith Street residents.
“The (central) pylons do have a psychological effect,” Councillor Erskine said. “We’re not going to manage to slow everyone down, no measures will, but it’s worth trying them out.”
Council passed a motion to hire a traffic engineer for the Meredith Street speed problem and ask police to monitor traffic along that route more regularly.
When contacted for comment, Mr. McDonald said he was pleased to see council take the petition seriously, but questioned the need for a traffic engineer and accompanying costs.
“I’m not sure why they have to have advisors,” he said. “We have two retired OPP on council. Surely they can figure something out.”
Mr. McDonald has been a Meredith Street resident since 1990 and said he was spurred on to create a petition after seeing a major increase in speeding over the past three years.
He said the population increase seen in the community since the pandemic has also meant an increase in speeding. He said his vehicle was even passed on the street just recently and estimates top speeds of between 60 and 70 kilometres an hour. Mr. McDonald also noted the large number of young families with small children that call Meredith Street their home.
