If you've driven for any length of time in Barrie, you've likely heard complaints about speeders or witnessed the bad habit firsthand.
City officials are looking to put the brakes on those lead footers with additional traffic-calming measures.
Council added $20,000 into the city's capital budget during deliberations last week — increasing the allocation to $43,500 — for speed boards ahead of the city's 2020 budget, which was approved Monday night. The money will come from the federal gas tax reserve.
Part of the funding will cover the annual installation, maintenance and removal of one electronic speed sign in each ward.
"One of the biggest things I receive phone calls from residents on is that they really do appreciate the speed boards — some don't, but some do," Coun. Natalie Harris said. "It's a very effective way of calming traffic."
Dave Friary, the city's director of roads, parks and fleet, said each board costs approximately $500 and they are typically moved three times a year. Being in one location any longer than around three months and drivers start to get used to them, he said.
"Our hope is that we move them around, share them around per ward, so it's not just a one-time install," said Friary, adding the technology is also always changing and the boards can also collect data on things such as traffic counts.
Deputy Mayor Barry Ward, who represents Ward 4, said he'd like to see permanent speed boards installed at the city limits as motorists come into the city, such as Sunnidale Road, Ferndale Drive and Anne Street.
"I'd love to have permanent ones on the edge of town," he said.
Coun. Mike McCann said the information he has seen gathered by speed boards shows "surprising and shocking" rates of speed around the city. Not because of high speeds, though, but that drivers are either only nominally above or below the posted limit.
"So they're either really effective or redundant," said the Ward 10 councillor.
Friary said a lot of the complaints the city receives are around "perception."
"If you're standing on the side of the road and someone drives by, it may seem like they're going 60 or 70 kilometres an hour," said Friary, adding that even a small reduction in speed is still considered effective.
Friary said city staff evaluate each location before and after traffic-calming measures are introduced.
"We do find it does reduce speeds by a couple of kilometres per hour," he added.
The city also has a pilot project with permanent speed bumps to see how it works for snow removal, etc. Permanent "speed cushions" cost $4,000 and are concrete over asphalt.
While speed boards may account for only a fraction of the city's budget, motorist behaviour was a common complaint among local residents during public engagement ahead of budget talks.
"I think the city should look into changing the speed bumps they are installing throughout the city and maybe start installing those speed bumps that give you less of a bump at slow speeds and a hard bump at high speeds, the kind that is filled with a non-Newtonian fluid," said one resident.
"Our roads need better maintenance, especially during the winter months," added another. "The costs to implement safety zones with speed humps, etc., are not worth the costs of set up and take down annually, and I live on a road that has had these traffic-calming installations."
Another resident called for increased traffic patrols.
"Yellow lights are just a suggestion to speed up, red lights mean nothing and drivers are incredibly aggressive," said the resident. "More speed traps would help slow traffic on our roads to make them safer and also have the added benefit of bringing in more dollars."
City staff will report back to general committee on the effectiveness of the permanent speed bumps following the winter.
