Speed limits in 10 Mississauga neighbourhoods could start dropping to 40 km/h, this month.

The potential move follows a city staff report identifying areas in each Mississauga city ward where the speed limits could be lowered from to 40 km/h from 50 km/h and would see new signage placed at the entrances and exits of the affected areas.

Andy Harvey, Mississauga’s director of engineering and construction, said safety is at the core of the move to lower neighbourhood speed limits.

The 40 km/h limit would apply to selected single-lane and minor roadways in the city, including an area in Lakeview bounded by Dixie Road on the west, Lakeshore Road East on the south, South Service Road on the north and the Etobicoke Creek on the east.

Some residential areas in Malton, Cooksville, Clarkson, Mississauga Valley, Erin Mills, Lisgar, Meadowvale and others would be dropped to 40 km/h speed limits if the plan passes. A neighbourhood area in Ward 6 has been identified as well, but Coun. Ron Starr opted to keep the current speed limits the ward for now.

Major roadways in the city would remain at the “traditional speed limits” and not be affected by the move to lower limits said the staff report.

Harvey anticipates speed limits will be lowered in more neighbourhoods after these first 10.

“We're trying to make neighbourhoods a little bit safer, and one of the ways you can do it is by reducing vehicle speeds,” he said. “And that's what this is targeting.”

As of Sept. 30, there have been five pedestrians killed in Mississauga, according to Peel Regional Police.

Statistics from Peel police show that speeding incidents have increased in Mississauga. In 2018, there were 10,769 speeding tickets given out in Peel police’s 11 Division area, which covers much of western Mississauga. That’s a 28 per cent increase in the number of tickets, compared with the 8,395 given out in 2017.