North Bay City Council approved the implementation of Community Safety Zones and permanent speed reductions in two additional locations during Tuesday's regular meeting.
The recommendation from staff originated with requests from the public and North Bay Police Service to designate two such areas:
- Olive Street and High Street surrounding Cassellholme
- Lakeshore Drive surrounding Sunset Park Public School and the Steve Omischl Sports Complex
The current speed limits in these areas are 50 kilometres per hour and with the approval of the Community Safety Zones, the posted speed in both areas will soon drop to 40 km/hr. Additionally, any person convicted of specific offences described in the HTA is liable to increased fines if committed while in a Community Safety Zone.
The zones are expected to be in place before schools open next month and traffic volume increases.
Before the vote, Councillor Justine Mallah spoke strongly in favour of implementing the zones. "The designation of Community Safety Zones increases driver awareness of public safety and helps reduce aggressive driving in areas that have a higher concentration of folks who are vulnerable."
Coun. Lana Mitchell also expressed her approval and went a step farther by noting the temporary lights in place at Lakeshore Drive and Booth Road to alleviate traffic tie-ups during the Lamorie Street bridge repairs have improved traffic flow in the area and made crossing Lakeshore easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
"Public safety in the above-noted areas is of special concern due to the high volume of vulnerable road users, including pedestrian traffic," according to the associated staff report. "The designation of a Community Safety Zone would raise driver awareness of public safety in these two locations, one of which surrounds a retirement home, and the other surrounds an elementary school and a sports complex."
As per the Highway Traffic Act, the official designation of a CSZ requires the enactment of a municipal by-law which includes the designated area and the erection of regulatory signs on the designated part of the roadway.
The HTA provides the council of a municipality the authority to designate a part of a highway under its jurisdiction as a Community Safety Zone if council deems public safety is of special concern on that part of the highway. The Ontario Traffic Manual states, "A CSZ may be used for roadways near schools, daycare centres, playgrounds, parks, hospitals, senior citizen residences, or collision-prone areas."
