

Chris Fox, CP24.com





The city has re-timed the traffic lights along two busy downtown streets in an effort to encourage drivers to follow new lower speed limits that were introduced last week.

The speed limit along Richmond and Adelaide streets was lowered to 40 kilometres per hour from 50 kilometres per hour on Friday and now city officials have re-timed the traffic lights along both streets to reflect the new limit.

“The goal is to keep vehicular traffic flowing smoothly and also to discourage speeding,” Transportation Services spokesperson Steve Johnston told CP24 on Wednesday. “Motorists that drive faster than the speed limit will hit a red light. This reflects the city's efforts to keep traffic flowing at a safe and reasonable speed for the road being travelled.”

Signs have been posted along both Richmond and Adelaide streets advising drivers of the new lower speed limit as well as the fact that traffic lights have been timed to the 40 kilometre-per -hour speed.

In a message posted to Twitter, Toronto’s Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat said the hope is that by re-timing the lights the city will give drivers an “incentive” not to speed.

“Driving at the limit means less stopping,” she said.

According to police, there were a total of 180 collisions along Richmond and Adelaide streets between Jan. 1 and the end of June.