Niagara commuters can look forward to reduced speed limits and other initiatives to slow down speeders on roads throughout the region.

Niagara Region public works committee members approved reductions to limits on roads in Grimsby and Lincoln, while also taking steps to address speeding in St. Catharines and Welland.

"I don't know where people's heads are at but this whole thing around transportation has become a significant problem," said Lincoln Coun. Rob Foster at Tuesday's committee meeting. "I think we're going to have to start thinking outside the box on how we're going to approach this. Until we get people slowing down, there's a lot of danger out there for people using our roads."

St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik asked for innovative solutions to speeding concerns near the intersection of Vansickle and Pelham roads, where a growing number of collisions and traffic violations are occurring.

"What can we do to slow down the speed in this area and also at the intersection which has become a challenge for a lot of folks in that area?" he asked.

"When the residents who live there who drive it every day, and who see what's happening in the intersection if we don't take into account what they're seeing and try to do something about it, I think we're taking the risk to regional government about not taking action appropriately."

Transportation services director Carolyn Ryall said "speeding is an enforcement issue," and the Region is continuing to work with police regarding the issue.

But putting an all-way stop sign in "should not be used as a way to control speed," she added.

"There are other things we need to be doing. We are looking at how we can deal with that."

She said one initiative, to be considered in the 2020 regional budget, includes hiring an off-duty police officer to enhance enforcement in problem areas. Other initiatives being considered include establishing community safety zones, automated speed enforcement approvals and red light camera pilots.

"We're thinking outside the box in how we're trying to bring new technologies and new ideas down to Niagara Region, and they will be coming forward to public works and council to review and provide approval to start looking at piloting some of these initiative with regards to safety being paramount in how we deal with it."

"I don't want to wait until 2020," Sendzik told her. "What can we do today that starts to remind people to start slowing down? . What can we do in the next couple of months that starts the process of calming the people who are for some reason travelling way too fast? I get that life's busy, but people need to slow down."

Ryall said her staff will meet with residents and work immediately to consider any additional initiatives to address the issues in the area.

St. Catharines Coun. Brian Heit is concerned the Region currently only has two roadside signs that tell motorists that they're speeding.

"That's a sad state, unfortunately," he said, adding the signs are relatively inexpensive and some are solar-powered.

"Hopefully, someone will wake up when they see a flashing sign that says slow down - especially near schools where kids are crossing the roads."

Welland Coun. Pat Chiocchio encouraged staff to expedite plans to add eastbound and westbound left-turn lanes at the intersection of Schisler and Moyer roads.

"I know it's budgeted for 2020, but I encourage staff to please work hard to get some improvements done this year, rather than wait another year," he said, adding there have been a few recent close calls at the intersection.

He said past initiatives including the installation of signs telling drivers not to pass other vehicles on the shoulder of the road aren't working.

"They're still doing it," he said.

Ryall, however, said the plans call for the $2-million project to be completed next spring.

In Grimsby, the town's Coun. Wayne Fertich wants to do more than merely reduce the speed limit on Mountain Road to 60 km/h from 80 km/h.

"We have to not only slow the traffic, but I don't understand why it's not agreed to put a no passing zone in that area," he said. "It's a completely dangerous area."

Fertich tried unsuccessfully to amend the motion to also prevent motorists from passing other vehicles.

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Ryall said prohibiting passing on the stretch of Mountain Road, between Elm Tree and Kemp roads is not recommended.

"We don't encourage passing, however with their being a clear sight-line and the stretch of road being so flat, if someone were to pass it would be at their own discretion."

She said there have been seven collisions in area in the past five years, including one fatality. But none of them were the result of passing vehicles.

Ryall said the fatality "had nothing to do with passing, it was the result of distracted driver."

West Lincoln Coun. Albert Witteveen called the speed limit reduction "a good first step."

"I appreciate staff's comments and I understand the criteria they base their decision on, but I think we will be revisiting this at a later date," he said.

In Lincoln, the speed limit on Ontario Street is being reduced from 50 km/h, down from 60.

Foster, however, said the issues on Ontario Street is the lack of a left turn lane.

He said the road is "about to be bombarded with two major subdivisions that are being built in the top end of the town."

"The reality is we're going to be having significant problems with traffic," Foster said. "There are so many other things that have to happen in this area and it's because of the development that's going on now."

Allan.Benner@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1629 | @abenner1

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