Council approved a few changes to try to make our roads safer at Monday night’s meeting.
Those include a 50-kilometre speed limit on Dawson Road from Hilldale Road to Paquette Road. Currently, the speed limit is 60 kilometres between Masters Street and Paquette, where it goes up to 70.
Councillor Albert Aiello feels it’s a step in the right direction, especially for a section of road that is currently still being used as a truck route.
He says the city has to do its due diligence, suggesting they can prevent collisions and reduce injuries by lowering the speed limit from 60 kilometres to 50.
There will also be higher fines for anyone speeding near St Joseph’s hospital or St Ann School.
City Council voted to make those areas Community Safety Zones, where fines are doubled. Westfort Councillor Kristen Oliver says St. Ann School students cross Mary Street at a number of points to get to their school, in an area where the speed limit is not reduced to 40 kilometres an hour.
Meanwhile, over the next year the city will get ready to install cameras at certain intersections to catch drivers going through red lights.
Council approved the move to install red light cameras. A report to Council says while they will need budget approval for costs related to the cameras, that won’t impact this year’s budget. Before that, city administration will need to determine which intersections would benefit from the cameras.
The cost for drivers who are caught failing to stop at a red light adds up to $325.
