Several Thorold residents looking to make their streets safer have gotten their requests denied.
63 residents signed a petition for traffic calming measures on Chapel Street, 29 residents signed one for Eastman Gateway and five residents signed a petition concerning Rose Avenue.
The city conducted a speed study in each area and found no evidence of excessive speeding, which is why they've turned down the requests.
“The results showed that the 85th percentile of traffic was driving under the speed limit,” they write, in a report.
The issue was discussed during Wednesday’s meeting of the city’s Road Safety Committee.
“I think staff has done a good job here and those speed studies are pretty accurate,” said Councillor Carmen DeRose, who sits on the committee.
It’s not all bad news though as two other petitions have warranted a closer look.
While a speed study on Queen Street South (petitioned by eight residents) found no signs of excessive speeding, the Road Safety Committee has deferred a decision on the matter.
“I think their biggest concern is that there is kind of a blind spot,” Councillor DeRose told committee members. “They’re saying that it’s hard for them to turn on Beaverdams from Queen Street South because of the terrible sight line. There is speeding on that road, 100 per cent, whenever the police aren’t there.”
So the committee decided to investigate the issue further.
There were also nine residents who petitioned for traffic calming measures on Upper’s Lane in Rolling Meadows. City Hall did find evidence of excessive speeding, and they’ve sent a report to City Council asking for speed bumps to be installed.
But the Road Safety Committee believes that reducing the overall speed limit in the entire city could be the ultimate answer to speeding issues.
“If the speed limit was 40 km/h and under, most of those speed studies would show that there was speeding,” said committee member Matthew Tilbrook. “Maybe that’ll help some of these residents turn the tide on some of these speed studies that keep going against their anecdotal evidence.”
Dunsmore said that the city is currently testing that theory.
“The council gave us direction to do a test program down in Port Robinson East,” he said. “We have gone through most of the installation of the signs in that area. Early in the spring, maybe more later in the spring, we’re going to go out and do a speed study to determine the impact of those reductions in speed.”
Residents hoping to slow down traffic in their streets will have to be patient a little while longer.