Kitchener city council mulls reduced speed limits in residential areas, near schools

Drivers may soon be moving more slowly on city streets in Kitchener as council is considering lowering the speed limit in all residential neighbourhoods from 50 km/h to 40 km/h.

The city will also be looking at reducing speeds in school zones to 30 km/h.

The recommendations follow the Neighbourhood Speed Limit pilot project that was launched in 2019 by transportation services. The project evaluated the effectiveness of lowered speed limits on roughly 200 streets in three residential areas in the city (Huron, Doon South and Idlewood).

After a two year testing period, Aaron McCrimmon Jones, the manager of transportation planning with the city, says the pilot "showed promising results." The city saw overall reduced speeds of an average three kilometres per hour in the testing areas.

McCrimmon Jones says the project was initiated because "speeding, especially in residential neighbourhoods, is one of the top concerns we hear about from residents across the city".

Once the pilot was launched a survey went out to people living in the testing areas. 57% of the participants that took part were in favour of reduced speed limits

McCrimmon Jones says reducing speed limits on residential streets is not a "done deal" yet. The proposal has already been endorsed by the city's community and infrastructures committee. Now the proposal will go to city council on Oct.18. If approved, planning will start for a spring 2022 roll-out for community engagement.

The total cost to the city would be about $550,000. That would cover the installation of approximately 1,500 new speed signs, the removal of old signs as well as communication and education for residents.

The goal would beto have all neighbourhood signs changed and the speeds reduced to 40 km/h over a two to three year period.