Kitchener city council approves pilot project lowering speed limits in 3 neighbourhoods

A pilot project that will see lower speed limits in three Kitchener neighbourhoods was approved by city council on Monday night.

Portions of Huron Park, Doon and Stanley Park will see speed limits lowered from 50 km/h to 40 km/h while school zones will also see a drop from 40 km/h to 30 km/h.

A study that was prepared for council by city staff showed that the survival rate of pedestrians who are hit by cars increases from 15 per cent to 75 per cent when speeds are reduced.

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The study also reported that 95 per cent of collisions in Kitchener over the past five years were between two vehicles, although 70 per cent of collision-related serious and fatal injuries came when a collision involved a vehicle and a cyclist or a pedestrian.

The city says that the purpose of the study is to help staff gauge the impacts, challenges and costs of the lower speed limits.

Signs will be posted at each area’s entry and exit points in the affected neighbourhoods by the end of fall.

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In Huron Park, the boundaries of the affected area will be Fischer-Hallman Road, Huron Natural Area and Huron Road, while in Stanley Park, they will be River Road East, Ottawa Street North, Lackner Boulevard and Fairway Road.

In Doon, the boundaries are Homer Watson Boulevard, Conestoga College Boulevard, New Dundee Road, Reidel Road, Caryndale Drive, Stauffer Drive, Tilts Bush and Schneider Greenway.