The City of Guelph says it is implementing more traffic calming measures along Downey Road between Woodland Glen and Teal drives.
The city has been trying to slow down vehicles on Downey Road for several years.
“These final traffic calming measures will make Downey Road safer for all road users,” said Steve Anderson, the city’s manager of transportation engineering.
“The city is adding these traffic measures to Downey Road to keep our commitment to the community to reduce vehicle speeds along this stretch of road now that the Niska Road bridge is open.”
The latest improvements include cushions that are designed to reduce passenger car speeds but include wheel cutouts that allow large vehicles, like fire trucks, to drive over them unaffected.
Temporary traffic signals are also coming to the intersections on Downey Road at Woodland Glen Drive and Niska Road.
The city said studies will be done later this year to determine a permanent solution for these two crosses based on the design of the Hanlon Expressway that is being led by the Ministry of Transportation.
The city’s effort to reduce speed along the residential stretch started in 2017 with the installation of pavement markings to show cycling, parking and turning lanes along with curb extensions that narrow the road for a short distance to help reduce car speed, and three centre islands.
Green-painted cycling lanes and two radar speed display boards were added in 2019.
But studies found these measures were not effective, with vehicle speeds averaging about 60 kilometres per hour, according to the city.
Council then deferred implementing Phase 2 traffic calming measures until staff completed studies following the reopening of the Niska Road bridge in August 2019.
Specific dates were not provided for when the new measures will be added.
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