Dysart et al is backing a community association initiative to fund signs reminding speeders to slow down.
Council voted June 23 to approve “slow down” road signs proposed by the Fort Irwin Residents’ Association and the Haliburton Lake Cottagers Association. The groups will be allowed to install one sign on Hodgson Road, one on Dunn Road, two on Curry Road and two on Haliburton Lake Road.
The signs are not legally enforceable and do not impact speed limits, instead only acting as a public service announcement. Deputy mayor Patrick Kennedy said they came about in response to growing concern about speeding in residential areas.
“Glad to see the associations have sort of run with it and made a solution that will work anywhere if desired,” Kennedy said. “Growing concern we’re hearing about speeding on all of our roads … Any effort to slow them down and stop a tragedy is good.”
The municipality will bear no costs for the signs. The associations will be in charge of maintaining and replacing them as necessary.
The effort comes after several speeding complaints came before council at its May meeting. For instance, Paul Carey of Haliburton Lake Road said he has noticed a rising trend of people going 20-30 km/h over the 50 km/h speed limit, which concerned him as an avid walker.
“Several people have shared stories of close calls with the speeding vehicles and all have expressed a concern that someone is going to be struck and injured or killed by one of these speeding cars if nothing is done,” he wrote to council, asking for more speed limit signs.
Camelon said he does not think the signs are a bad idea but cautioned about limiting the number that do get approved in the future, to ensure they do not overly burden the roads department.
“So they don’t interfere with snow plowing and that kind of thing,” he said.
Coun. John Smith brought up making a well-defined process for people to get these signs up. CAO Tamara Wilbee agreed with the idea, noting not every area with speeding concerns has an association.
“Maybe this becomes a template we could offer,” she said. “If people come forward with a request, we can look at it on an individual basis.”
Council also decided to have future signage requests come before it for approval for now, versus being left to staff.
