Changes are coming to community safety zones and school zones across Collingwood, with speed limits being changed to 30 kilometres-per-hour in some areas of town.
Through a series of motions passed by councillors at their Feb. 5 regular meeting, both community safety zones and school zones in Collingwood will be reduced to 30 kilometres per hour across the board, going against a recommendation by staff to have community safety zones reduced to 40 kilometres per hour, and school zones reduced to 30 kilometres per hour. Some new areas of town will also be added to the community safety zone list.
While many community safety zones already had a 40 kilometre-per-hour limit, the rule had been applied inconsistently in the past. The town will spend $100,000 out of the 2024 budget to accomplish the changes.
“I’m very supportive of the additions... I see no reason why the speed limit for community safety zones should be different than the speed limit for school zones,” said Coun. Deb Doherty.
Coun. Rob Ring and Mayor Yvonne Hamlin agreed.
Doherty noted the speed limit in front of schools on arterial roads is reduced only during time-of-day restrictions – specifically to 30 kilometres on Hurontario St. in front of Collingwood Collegiate Institute and 50 kilometres on Highway 26 in front of Pretty River Academy – saying she disagreed with staff’s recommendation.
“I’m opposed to a time-of-day restriction. We still seem to be planning from a car-centric point of view. We need to be planning more to a pedestrian/active transportation point of view,” she said.
Manager of engineering Stuart West said there are challenges to reducing speed limits on wide roads such as Highway 26, as they can lead to enforcement issues. When it came time for council to vote on including time-of day restrictions for schools are arterial roads, Doherty was the sole vote opposed.
First brought before councillors back in December following a presentation from representatives from community group Safe Streets Collingwood, new changes to community safety zones across Collingwood will include zebra/ladder bar crosswalk pavement markings at intersections within school zones and converting existing unprotected/uncontrolled pedestrian school crossings to pedestrian cross overs.
Seventeen new community safety zone locations are being added to the list as part of the changes, which include Peel St. between Hume and Hurontario St., Katherine Street between Lorne St. and Lockhart Road and Walnut Street between Seventh and Tenth St.
Changes put forward by councillors at their Dec. 4 meeting include adding the National Ski Academy to the list of community safety zones and school zones, Raglan St. north of Hume St. and the Collins St. community safety zone will be extended to include River Side Park.
“The proposed speed limit reductions are to ensure consistency which may result in a positive impact to driver behaviour,” noted West in the staff report to councillors.
Community safety zones are sections of roadway where fines for traffic violations are increased through a special designation under the Highway Traffic Act. Community safety zones are implemented in areas where public safety is of special concern and there is a high volume of pedestrian traffic, such as schools, parks, playgrounds, senior citizen residences and hospitals.
School zones in Ontario are identified by a yellow sign with two pedestrians walking together. Typical speed limits in school zones are between 30 and 40 kilometres per hour. School zones in Collingwood will be lengthened to 250 metres from the school as part of the direction passed by councillors on Monday.
Coun. Kathy Jeffery asked about the possibility of adding Hamilton St. to the list of community safety zones.
West said the area isn’t currently being considered as a community safety zone, but that town staff could look at the road through an overall town speed reduction study currently being undertaken. She also put forward an amendment to have future further consideration of community safety zones and school zones moved into 2025 budget discussions, which was passed.
Also as part of the motion passed by councillors, staff were directed to put together a new community safety zone policy whereby residents could put in requests for new areas to be added to the list.
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the changes. Coun. Steve Perry was absent from the meeting.
