By Vanessa Lee
Even as a study investigating the benefit of traffic calming measures is being completed, more are being introduced in Centretown.
One of the plans would see the introduction of intersection narrowings at many side streets.
A raised intersection on Kent Street at Somerset Street is also being considered.
“By putting in narrowings, you can accomplish a number of objectives such as reducing the distance pedestrians have to cross, add landscaping opportunities such as trees that will improve the environment, and have an overall calming effect on traffic,” says Geoff Noxon, manager of the regions’s mobility management branch.
Meanwhile, the city and the region are currently conducting a traffic calming evaluation study.
They are gathering feedback from residents and road users about traffic calming measures, with the help of meetings, a survey which can be found on the region’s website, talks with interest groups, and open houses.
“It is not something that is done by the government. It is driven by community concerns about quality of life, livability and safety,” says Noxon.
The objective of the study is to produce results that will document any impact traffic calming may have had.
Somerset city Coun. Elisabeth Arnold says there is overwhelming support for traffic calming measures on city streets.
“On a street on which people live, people shouldn’t be going over the speed limit,” says Arnold.
“Traffic calming measures are in place to enforce this.”
Not all residents agree, however.
“I find the use of measures in the form of speed humps and narrowing of intersections annoying,”says Peter O’Malley, a Centretown resident. “Raised intersections cause unnecessary slowdown of traffic.”
He argues that if traffic calming measures are put into place, there must be reasonable justification.
“There must be a safety issue or a safety benefit involved. No one has yet to prove this,” says O’Malley. “Is there a difference between pedestrian accidents numbers before and after traffic calming measures were put in place on Lyon Street for example? My guess is no.”
“Any tool that can improve the safety and livability of a neighbourhood is worth trying and investigating,” says Noxon.
Results of the study are expected in April. At that time, final decisions will be made on potential plans to implement other traffic calming measures in neighbourhoods across the city.
“Any tool that can improve the safety and livability of a neighbourhood is worth trying,” says Noxon.