Best Traffic Calming Mode Not Speed Cams: LO

Recently, the provincial government announced it will introduce legislation to end the use of automated speed enforcement (ASE) in Ontario.

Municipalities with existing ASE cameras in school zones will also be required to install new signage with flashing lights to warn motorists they are approaching a camera.

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This newsletter excerpt from Barrhaven East Councillor Wilson Lo is courtesy of the city-wide community group Your Applewood Acres (And Beyond) Neighbours.

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The province plans to concurrently establish a new fund to help municipalities install other traffic calming measures like speed humps, raised crosswalks, curb bulb-outs and roundabouts.

No further details were available, including timelines, the source of the traffic calming funds, and each city’s allocation of said fund.

Currently, the city’s ASE program funds other traffic calming measures, such as those mentioned by Premier Doug Ford, except roundabouts. For example, I have been using my ward allocation for speed humps and speed cushions.

The speed cushions for Deerfox (between Beatrice and Woodroffe) and for Springbeauty (between Beatrice and Longfields) are funded, approved, and awaiting construction, but planned future projects on Cresthaven, Grovehurst, and Leikin may be delayed or cancelled depending on details released by the province.

News sources say the legislation will be introduced shortly after the provincial legislature resumes later this month. How quickly or slowly the bill gets through readings and towards Royal Assent might be unpredictable. My best guess is three to six months from when the legislature resumes on Oct. 20.

As I’ve shared in the past, my general belief is while ASE cameras do influence vehicular speeds, they are not the most effective traffic calming tool available due to their small area of influence, the ability to “pay to speed,” and the odd location of some cameras (the last point is mostly relevant to the City’s earlier cameras, such as the one near Sir Robert Borden High School).

Supporting data for the argument in favour of ASE cameras include a measured reduction in vehicular rates of speed and a reduction in tickets issued over time. Both are true, but like any data, it’s the details that can tell or hide the story.

Notably, the rate of speed is measured in the camera’s area of influence while the reduction in tickets means people are aware of the camera’s location and/or paying attention to warning signage. There’s general awareness of motorists slowing down for the cameras only. While a vehicle slowing down is a good thing, the data does not account for motorist behaviour before and after approaching the camera.

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City Defends Automatic Speed Cameras

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Additionally, as tickets are issued to the plate owner rather than the motorist, the accountability is not the same. No demerit points are added to a driver’s licence.

An interesting observation as motorists slow for the camera is some attention gets diverted from the road to their speedometers. Hard data is shaky for this point, since my sample size is small, but it’s an interesting observation.

Unlike ASE cameras, speed humps and speed cushions physically slow down most vehicles across a stretch of street. It’s certainly been my focus over the last few years, with projects ready for construction and others soon entering the planning stage (though there are now some unknowns on the latter with the provincial announcement).

The disadvantage is they are expensive and slower to be deployed, given they are spread out across a stretch of street compared to each camera’s single location. Within each ward’s traffic calming budgets (funded by ASE revenue), we’re limited to eight to 10 speed humps/cushions per year.

I don’t dispute the need for traffic calming, nor do I think ASE cameras are evil. They are useful, but they are not the most effective tool available. Slowing vehicles down, especially in school zones or near vulnerable populations is good anyhow, but if we’re throwing money after good, we ought to invest in the most effective solutions available.

Lastly, as the Ottawa Police Service continues to stabilize their staffing and expand their recently reinstated traffic enforcement unit, we should begin to see some more proactive work in the worst areas.

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