Should we lower residential speed limits?

I regularly hear from many residents of St. James concerned about the speeds that vehicles are travelling down their streets.

My office receives multiple requests every year for speed humps, slow down signs, stop signs, pedestrian crosswalks, traffic studies and increased police enforcement, all in an effort to make the streets we live on feel safer. The people of St. James are not alone in their desire. My council colleagues receive similar requests from residents across Winnipeg who are calling for steps to be taken to improve the sense of safety on local streets.

This is a trend that is growing across Canada. The cities of Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto are currently engaged in studies examining the reduction of speed limits on residential streets to something less than 50 km/h.

The City of Winnipeg is also considering reducing the default speed limit on residential streets to either 30 km/h or 40 km/h. The speed limit is currently 50 km/h on residential streets.

A recent report from the city’s administration says “(t)here is a strong interest from both Council and the public to investigate a city-wide speed limit reduction for Winnipeg’s residential streets, as reducing speeds is proven to make streets calmer, quieter, and safer for people walking, biking, driving, and enjoying their neighbourhood.”

Council has asked city staff to conduct a jurisdictional scan, to examine the impacts of reducing speeds on residential streets to 30 km/h or 40 km/h, to review the existing street classification system, to look at best practices and engineering data and to conduct public engagement in order to get feedback, ideas and involve the public in decision-making.

This work will take place over the next year. The study will also include a trial speed limit reduction on one street in each ward (including the St. James ward) of either 30 km/h or 40 km/h. The pilot streets have not yet been selected.

I support lowering the default speed limit from 50 km/h on Winnipeg’s residential streets. Research shows that there is a relationship between speed and the severity of injuries in a collision. Even though lower speeds are known to improve safety, I still hear from some residents (albeit fewer) who want the speed limit to remain at 50 km/h.

Therefore, I believe 40 km/h on local streets has the best chance of getting public support as a reasonable middle ground between those residents opposed to any change and those calling for 30 km/h.

I realize that speed limits are a contentious issue, so I want to hear from you.

Are you in favour of seeing speed limits on residential streets lowered from 50 km/hr?

Please call me at 204-986-5848 or email scottgillingham@winnipeg.ca

Enjoy the rest of your summer.