Guelph neighbourhoods will soon be able to borrow portable radar speed signs as part of a new safety initiative.
The Community Speed Awareness Program will see the city purchase six portable signs that can temporarily be installed on local streets and two-lane collector roadways.
“The radar speed signs will be temporarily installed at each location for approximately 11 days. While in place, the radar speed signs will visually display the operating speed of vehicles, along with collecting traffic speed and volume data,” says an information report for Guelph City Council from city staff.
“The program provides a visual tool to residents on actual operating speeds as well as bringing awareness to motorists of the maximum speed limit on residential roadways.”
The program will run from the spring to the fall of each year, subject to weather and staff resources available. Speed and volume data collected will be published on the Guelph.ca open data portal for public view.
The signs do not take photos or collect personal information such as licence plates, but do record volume and speed data.
Residents can contact city transportation staff to request a roadway be added to the schedule.
The signs cost $20,670 and running the program will cost roughly $9,000 a year.
City staff get an average of 58 speed-related complaints a year. When they get them they investigate available traffic data for the location.
Should there not be any available traffic data, or the traffic data is outdated (older than 3 years), new traffic data is scheduled to be collected.
“Recognizing the growing concern for speeding on residential roadways, and the need to have up to date and accurate traffic related data in response, Transportation Staff created the Community Speed Awareness Program (CSAP) initiative to address these concerns,” the report says.
"The temporary signs will provide a visual tool to residents on actual operating speeds in their neighbourhood; Bring awareness to motorists of the maximum speed limit on residential roadways; Linking our residents through guelph.ca “ Open Data Portal” to speeding and volume information that is current; and enables staff to provide a quick and visible response to our citizens and facilitates staff to more effectively allocate their time."
