Private school could get safety zone
By Chris Simon

Drivers could be asked to watch their speed near Thor College.

A town committee has approved a request to label a stretch of the 4th Line across from the Thor College private school a Community Safety Zone, during a meeting last week. If approved by council, the zone would run for several hundred metres along the 4th.

"A safety zone would at least appease some of the concern in that area," said councillor Rod Boynton.

A safety zone would be recognized by painting two yellow strips along the designated stretch of road. Fines are doubled for drivers caught exceeding the speed limit in a safety zones, said deputy mayor Gord Wauchope.

"It's a school area; I'm not even happy about not reducing the speed limit," he said. "But I'd be happy if we had a safety zone. Police do lay a number of charges in the safety zone."

However, other councillors questioned whether the zones actually prevent speeding.

"In my experience, they have not been as effective as one would like to think," said councillor Lynn Dollin. "People don't understand the concept of it.

"I have some concerns. I'd rather have a little bit more education for the public to understand."

As part of the plan, council turned down a request to lower the speed limit along the stretch of road. About 1,000 vehicles travel the 4th Line between the 5th Sideroad and County Road 27 each day.

The town had received several requests to lower the speed limit from local residents. However, the volume of traffic along the road too low to justify a change, said planning and development director Rob McAuley in a report to council.

"The primary purpose of a road like the 4th Line is to move traffic effectively. Without constant and aggressive enforcement by police, drivers will continue to drive at the speed they are comfortable with, despite reducing speed or (placing) safety zone signage," he said. "Lowered speed limits contribute to a false sense of security and increase driver frustration and aggression towards other motorists that do follow the lower limits.

"There is some debate about the effectiveness of lowering speed limits."

McAuley says all of the nearly 100 students attending the school are transported by vehicles. Thus, few pedestrians are at risk from higher speeds.

"No walking students were noting during recent site visits," he said. "This issue is one of in/out vehicle movements and not pedestrian safety.

"Traffic appeared to move well in the area, with sufficient opportunity for gaps in traffic to enter Thor."

But the zone would be effective. Both police and judges take speeding in a safety zone very seriously, said Wauchope.

"The courts take this very seriously," he said. "They do take it into consideration."