Chatham-Kent council recently approved a list of 26 different road sections to become Community Safety Zones during school days only, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and to have the maximum speed limit changed to 40 km/h at all times.
“I appreciate the work, the time and the effort that has gone on to look at all these different school zones,” said Wallaceburg Coun. Carmen McGregor, who made the original motion about the issue back in January.
McGregor told the Sydenham Current that he January motion stemmed from a previous motion she successfully entered back in September to install a traffic light at the Murray Street and Reaume Avenue intersection.
The areas impacted in Wallaceburg with the latest approval, includes:
– Ella Street South between Fort Street and a point 50 m north of
Gladstone Avenue.
– Bertha Street between John Avenue and Francis Avenue.
– Elm Drive South between Turnbull Avenue and a point 30 m north of Warwick Drive.
– Francis Avenue between a point 30 m north of Elgin Street and Bertha Street.
– Gordon Street between a point 10 m east of Dauw Avenue and the easterly limit.
– John Avenue between a point 30 m north of Elgin Street and the northerly limit.
– Lawrence Avenue between Emma Crescent and a point 50 m west of Dora Drive.
– Murray Street between a point 50 m north of Wills Street and Roy Street
– Roy Street between Murray Street and the easterly limit.
– Turnbull Avenue between Elm Drive South and a point 20 m east of Chestnut Drive.
– Thomas Avenue between Dora Drive and a point 30 m west of Janssens Street.
The following recommendations were approved at the January 15 council meeting:
– ‘School Safety Zones’ be established in Chatham-Kent.
– The school portion of the Community Safety Zones study be pulled from the Traffic Calming Policy that is to be conducted in 2018 with recommendations not coming to Council until an undetermined date in 2019.
– The School Safety Zones be established adjacent to the main entrance and/or bus loading areas of schools within Chatham-Kent that allows for a reduction of speed limit to 30km/h and permits double the speed limit fines.
– This be phased in beginning in the summer of 2018 as determined by the Engineering Department with preference given to elementary schools which are located in higher traffic areas as determined by the AADT report.
– Our By-law be amended to permit the above.
A Chatham-Kent staff report indicates as part of phase one of the initative, roadways near the following schools in Wallaceburg will be reduced: St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Holy Family Catholic School, Christ the King Catholic School, A.A. Wright Public School and H.W. Burgess Public School.
“Engineering and Transportation Division (Engineering) has identified all elementary and secondary school locations in Chatham-Kent, including public and private schools, and selected candidates to review for Phase 1,” staff said in a report.
“Additional Phases will be implemented once detailed road reviews are complete on the remaining school locations.”
Approximately 121 new sign installations and further sign adjustments are required to implement the Phase 1 of the project. The estimated cost to complete this sign work is $25,750 for Maximum Speed Signs and $25,750 for Community Safety Zone signs, for a total of $51,500.
All sign costs will be funded through the lifecycle roads budget.
To read the full report, click here.
