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Temporary traffic calming measures are back again this year to slow down Guelph drivers’ speeds.
Starwood Drive, Ptarmigan Drive, Waverly Drive, Windsor Street, Riverview Drive, Scottsdale Drive, and Kortright Road East have temporary traffic calming measures for spring and summer 2023. These streets, plus Rickson Avenue, will get permanent measures this year and next.
The streets were identified as top priorities for traffic calming projects in 2020.
The traffic calming measures on these streets range from speed cushions, curb extensions, medians and in-road flexible bollards.
As defined in the City of Guelph’s traffic calming policy, a speed cushion is like a speed hump but allows for emergency vehicles to drive between the cushions. The curb extension narrows a part of the road. There are a variety of medians some prevent turns and others narrow the road. The in-road flexible bollards separate traffic.
Next on the priority list is London Road West. Drivers may have noticed speed cushions along the road. The measures were placed there due to construction on Woolwich Street, not part of any previously-determined traffic calming project. The speed cushions on London Road are there because it is where the detour traffic was expected to go.
Once the construction is complete a traffic calming review will occur.
“Ultimately at the end of the day no matter how you are travelling we want people to get to their destinations safely and that’s really our main focus,” said Liraz Fridman, road safety supervisor engineering and transportation services for the city.
When testing out a temporary traffic calming measure or putting a permanent one in place the city consults with stakeholders like emergency medical services, accessibility services, Guelph Transit, Guelph police, sustainable transportation, operations and solid waste collection.
“Affected internal stakeholders will be consulted to identify potential issues/concerns regarding impacts on their operations,” said in the city traffic calming policy.
“It’s balancing people’s needs mainly because sometimes what works in terms of a safety improvement for one group of people may not work for another and so it’s a lot of community consultation,” said Fridman.
When temporary speed cushions are installed the design keeps in mind that ambulances may have to go through the road without obstructions. This is why there is space between the speed cushions so ambulances can drive through them.
I think whether you’re a driver, cyclist or pedestrian we’re committed to sharing the road safely and a big part of it is related to speed reduction, said Fridman.
“We know that if a collision ever were to happen between let’s say a driver and a pedestrian as an example, that at slower speeds the likelihood of survivability goes up exponentially.”
The measures are put out as a reminder to drivers they have to slow down on the road, she said.
