Rahul Mehta, Resident asked the following questions:
The data is alarming, to say the least, as the number of injuries and collisions among all modes continues to rise well past pre-COVID levels and farther from the goals of Vision Zero. My question to this Committee is what we will do with this troubling information - particularly the clear gap and opportunity which exists in regards to how we design our currently sprawling and car-centric intersections. Will this Committee push for staff to develop a strategic plan for intersection improvements across the City, the area where we can have the biggest impact to improve safety and comfort for all users, but especially those most vulnerable?
Alex Legrain, Project Leader Special Projects spoke to campaigns and enhancing signalized intersections.
Item 10.1 - public question period
Can staff or the Committee provide some numbers on how effective these curb signs are, compared to proven methods to improve road safety such as changes in street design with more trees and bike lanes, road diets, lowering of speed limits and other traffic calming measures? This is particularly relevant as more and more municipalities reduce, restrict or discourage the use of lawn signs, reduce single-use plastics in procurement and sale and limit sources of waste such as these which, in my experience, have no effect on changing public behaviour. If the Committee has metrics which prove otherwise, such as two identical roads with no other measures except one with and one without these plastic signs, that would be most helpful when considering if even more taxpayer and staff time and resources should be put into this idea.
Max Gill, Manger, Traffic Services & Road Safety responded and noted that staff do not have data related. Members of the Road Safety Committee spoke and made the following comments: to secondary roads speed limits, how traffic calming measures are measured, previous slow street initiatives, and to installing traffic safety calming measures.