Tap the brakes while driving down Beachwood Road, because the speed limit could be decreasing in the near future.
According to information delivered to Collingwood council Monday night, the Ministry of Transportation is proposing an amendment to the speed limit on Beachwood. The MTO indicated in their letter that they’ve received ongoing requests from residents to lower the speed limit on the road. They also wrote that they conducted a traffic engineering study to evaluate existing conditions.
“Based on our review, we are recommending a lowering of the existing 80 km/h speed limit to 70 km/h due primarily to the number of side streets, driveways and entrances, combined with cyclist and pedestrian exposure concerns,” reads the letter, adding they also intend to extend the 60km/h zone further west by 150 metres.
However, according to a local business, the lowering of the speed limit might have unintended repercussions.
“I hope they don’t put it down too low. It’s already slow enough to get out here,” said Phil Blagdon, manager of Tire Guys of Collingwood located on Beachwood Road when reached for an interview by CollingwoodToday. “I didn’t like when it went to 50 km/h by Poplar (Sideroad).”
“All the locals use [Beachwood Road] more now. If they do that, Highway [26] is going to be jam-packed,” he said.
“It would be a ghost town. That’s not great for my business too because I want more traffic,” said Blagdon.
“I know they’re trying to make it more residential, though,” he said.
According to Christian Singh with the Ministry of Transportation, residents should send feedback directly to town staff if they want their voices heard on the issue prior to Feb. 25.
“Residents should send in their feedback via the municipality so that there is an overall response from the municipality whether they are supportive or not supportive of the proposed speed limit changes,” he said.
