Councillors green light public engagement on lowering city speed limits

[CliffFletcher]

I live on a feeder road, and late in the evening there are dudes roaring down the street doing at least 70. And this is a narrow road with no boulevard and cars parked all along it. The noise is a big a problem as anything, as it sometimes wakes me from a dead sleep.

But policing that sort of speeding would be hard. I guess it's easier to lower the limit on roads nobody speeds on anyway.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I live on a feeder road, and late in the evening there are dudes roaring down the street doing at least 70. And this is a narrow road with no boulevard and cars parked all along it. The noise is a big a problem as anything, as it sometimes wakes me from a dead sleep.

But policing that sort of speeding would be hard. I guess it's easier to lower the limit on roads nobody speeds on anyway.

I'm not sure. Let's spend a couple hundred thousand to look into it, in the middle of a pandemic and other major economic issues.

On a tangent, I read about a system they tried in Sweden (?), where people who drove under the speed limit were entered into a lottery to win the fines paid by speeders. Speeding decreased by something like 30%. You don't always have to use a stick and there are ways to nudge people to make these improvements.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Slava

On a tangent, I read about a system they tried in Sweden (?), where people who drove under the speed limit were entered into a lottery to win the fines paid by speeders. Speeding decreased by something like 30%. You don't always have to use a stick and there are ways to nudge people to make these improvements.

https://www.wired.com/2010/12/swedis...-to-slow-down/

https://twitter.com/user/status/1308800183359148033

[81MC]

I’m totally okay with reducing residential speed limits. But could we please also work towards reasonable policies on speeds across the board?

I’ll do 40 all over town. But 110 on the QE2? This isn’t 1962, increase the highways and allow those who wish to go slower to do so. Enforce lane and pullout policy, and make speed logical.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Also, after watching the news this morning and Nenshi saying that speeding in the neighborhoods was by far the number 1 concern brought up was...weird. I can probably think of 10 things my neighbors and I, and this board, complain about more.

Wexit Canada leader's wife kept complaining about people 'speeding' through our neighbourhood -- which is nonsense because our neighbourhood is actually designed to reduce traffic speed in the way we've discussed in this thread -- and she even celebrated that COVID-19 resulted in fewer 'speeders' and less traffic through our neighbourhood, which I pointed out is her effectively celebrating people being out of work and that I'm glad she found a silver lining in other people enduring hardship and despair. She blocked me after that.

Funny, my garage security camera keeps picking up someone absolutely flying down our back lane because the vehicle breaches the motion detection area I set of 2 ft within our property. And it's her. Every. Single. Time.

[Bigtime]

I've seen a few posts about the cost of putting up new speed signs on roads that are staying 50. This is worth noting:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1311360979079487489

[para transit fellow]

Map of Calgary pedestrian accidents (Sept 2019)
https://livewirecalgary.com/2019/11/...an-collisions/

[nik-]

80 on Crowchild annoys me way more than 40 in a neighbourhood would.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by nik-

80 on Crowchild annoys me way more than 40 in a neighbourhood would.

Crowchild north past 24th avenue is built better than Deerfoot, could easily manage 100-110 speeds I'd think.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Crowchild north past 24th avenue is built better than Deerfoot, could easily manage 100-110 speeds I'd think.

Easily. Separated as well as Deerfoot from on-ramps, much better separated in the middle. That 80 speed limit is cartoonish.

[Bunk]

If that's the trade-off in terms of travel time, increases on highways like Crowchild would make some sense.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I've seen a few posts about the cost of putting up new speed signs on roads that are staying 50. This is worth noting:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1311360979079487489

This whole thing seems rather pointless. Most of the roads they will reduce are already tough to get to 50 on. Why not just say that if it doesn't have a centre line painted, it's 40. If it does, it's 50. There, I just saved $1 million. My bill for the other million is in the mail.

[Bunk]

Interesting tidbit in the Committee discussion from Transportation re: emissions as a result of lower speed limits. AHS reported studies that say speed limit reductions reduce overall emissions due to the fact that acceleration periods are less. On a net basis, that is a great factor on emissions than any increases in travel time.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

This whole thing seems rather pointless. Most of the roads they will reduce are already tough to get to 50 on. Why not just say that if it doesn't have a centre line painted, it's 40. If it does, it's 50. There, I just saved $1 million. My bill for the other million is in the mail.

This sounds dangerously close to the kind of talk of someone who doesn't want to just lazily apply a blanket solution.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I've seen a few posts about the cost of putting up new speed signs on roads that are staying 50. This is worth noting:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1311360979079487489

So they already stuck it in the budget earlier this year. That doesn't mean it needs to be spent. Heaven forbid there is a budget surplus, and we spend the money (wisely?) elsewhere...

[zamler]

How about we put the money tossed at reducing speed limits and use it instead to teach people how to ####ing drive. And while we're at it teach people how to cross the road.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

So they already stuck it in the budget earlier this year. That doesn't mean it needs to be spent. Heaven forbid there is a budget surplus, and we spend the money (wisely?) elsewhere...

Like on cycle tracks, great idea!

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

This whole thing seems rather pointless. Most of the roads they will reduce are already tough to get to 50 on. Why not just say that if it doesn't have a centre line painted, it's 40. If it does, it's 50. There, I just saved $1 million. My bill for the other million is in the mail.

You made line painting a much more significant consequence for being behind on so increased costs there and try fitting your law on a sign at the entrance to the city.

Signs should be concise. 40 unless otherwise posted unless it has a line painted down the middle then it’s 50 is not.

I think they were far to liberal with the 50km/h zones. I would rather most of those be 40 and get rid of school zones on them.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by GGG

I would rather most of those be 40 and get rid of school zones on them.

I'd actually be okay with that. It would be nice if drivers were looking out for kids instead of staring at their speedometers trying not to exceed 30 KM/H lest they get a ticket for 3 KM/H over.

[Bigtime]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1311388547815890945

https://twitter.com/user/status/1311389493321101312