Skip to content

Limiting lead-footed drivers on council's agenda again Monday night

'People who abide by the speed limit now, will continue to do so. But I don’t see how lowering it more will suddenly make those who speed, stop speeding,' says Coun. Natalie Harris
2021-04-17 Speeding
Stock image

The argument for lowering speed limits in Barrie continues Monday night.

City councillors will consider a motion to have staff investigate the feasibility of lowering speed limits across the city by 10 kilometres an hour, look into the cost of replacing signs and report back before next year’s budget talks.

Coun. Natalie Harris says she doesn’t support reducing the speed limit across Barrie, but instead lowering it to 30 km/h in community safety zones with an increase of police presence for enforcement there.

“My concern with reducing it everywhere is that the individuals who speed regardless will become more aggressive and possibly create even more safety concerns,” she said. “I have spoken with Barrie police officers who have confirmed that they fear this will happen as well.

“People who abide by the speed limit now, will continue to do so. But I don’t see how lowering it more will suddenly make those who speed, stop speeding,” Harris added. “Reducing it in community safety zones will make everyone safer because the people who do abide by the speed limit will be driving with even more caution.”

Coun. Jim Harris said he’s already had several residents contact him about this matter.

“Certainly, the common theme is that residents want our roads to be safe, however a universal decrease in speed limits appears not to be supported or required to do this,” he said. “From my perspective, I feel we should take a more targeted approach to road safety, by focusing on the areas where improvements are most needed and developing  a comprehensive strategy using a variety of traffic calming methods, which include speed-limit reduction where indicated, improved road design, education and speed limit enforcement.   

“To this end, earlier this year on behalf of residents I brought forward an item to council requesting staff investigate having the area around Minet’s Point designated a reduced speed zone,” he added. “This popular area  with no sidewalks, a busy beach/park that attracts pedestrians and cyclists and blind corners  would seem to be a good fit for reduced speeds.”

Coun. Sergio Morales says he’s not a fan of lower speed limits.

“I haven’t supported it on the past council, I won’t be supporting it now,” he said.

Barrie police have said public and traffic safety are their priorities and they support initiatives that promote these priorities.

Speeding statistics for Barrie are not available because city police records group all Provincial Offence Notices for Highway Traffic Act (HTA) violations and don’t differentiate which section was violated, according to police.

Ontario’s HTA sets a default municipal speed limit of 50 km/h on streets within cities and other municipalities, but the Act also grants the city authority to set speed limits ranging from 40 to 80 km/h, in 10 km/h intervals.

The speed limit on most Barrie streets is 50 km/h, although it’s 60 km/h on some roads and 40 km/h in community safety zones at select times.

Community safety zones are established by municipal council through a bylaw, and cover road areas where there is a higher risk to  or concern for  drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and/or others who share the space. HTA fines, including speeding, are doubled in community safety zones and many community safety zones are located close to schools. Barrie has more than 75 sections of road designated as community safety zones in accordance with the city's community safety zones bylaw.

School zones are designated road areas near a school, and typically occur within 150 metres of the front of a school and have reduced speed limits during specific periods of the day. City council policy mandates a 40 km/h posted speed limit in front of elementary schools, as well as for roadways where – due to their geometric design – there is an increased probability of danger when a car drives at 50 km/h or a higher speed limit.

On major roads where there are elementary schools, a '40 km/h when flashing’ speed limit is in effect. Barrie has these speed limits – which follow varying time schedules – in 23 elementary school locations.

The city has a number of measures to limit speeds in Barrie, aside from city police enforcement. Each ward has speed bumps placed strategically to slow traffic, for example.

Last December, council passed a motion asking operations department staff to advise Toronto’s Joint Processing Centre that Barrie seeks to participate in the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program. It is a system that uses a camera and a speed measurement device to detect and capture images of vehicles travelling faster than the posted speed limit and is effective in reducing collisions in school and community safety zones.

City staff recommended a pilot program of two mobile cameras at an approximate cost of $70,000 to $80,000 annually.

Implementing the ASE program could take as long as two years, or even longer, because of the number of steps in the process.