As part of an ongoing effort to ensure Londoners feel safe in their community, the City of London is seeking public input on an opportunity to lower speed limits to below 50 kilometres per hour on streets in residential neighbourhoods.

“Neighbourhood safety is a top priority for the City of London,” said Doug MacRae, Director of Roads and Transportation. “We want to make sure all Londoners feel comfortable and confident being out and about in our city. This is a new opportunity to lower speed limits in neighbourhoods, and we are asking community members to let us know what they think.”

Existing studies show the risk of pedestrian death increases significantly when vehicles are travelling over 40 kilometres per hour, and that lower speed limits lead to more walking and biking in neighbourhoods. The City has already reduced speed limits to 40 kilometres per hour in school zones.

Residential streets being considered for speed limit reductions would go beyond school zones and include neighbourhood blocks, crescents and cul-de-sacs and collector streets (such as Wortley Road, Aldersbrook Road and Meadowgate Boulevard). They do not include major roads such as Richmond Street, Wharncliffe Road or Adelaide Street.

This opportunity to provide feedback aligns with current London road safety programs, including the Active and Safe Routes to school program and “Vision Zero London” initiatives.

Centreline markers: flexible in-road traffic calming signs designed to get drivers out of their comfort zone and heighten awareness of their surroundings.

flexible in-road traffic calming signs designed to get drivers out of their comfort zone and heighten awareness of their surroundings. Student silhouettes: life-size student silhouette signs designed to encourage drivers to take extra care and caution in school zones.

life-size student silhouette signs designed to encourage drivers to take extra care and caution in school zones. Speed and display boards (PEEP): LED display boards designed to discourage speeding by detecting and displaying drivers’ speeds.

LED display boards designed to discourage speeding by detecting and displaying drivers’ speeds. “Respect the Limit” lawn signs: lawn signs designed for residents to help remind drivers to slow down.

Members of the public are invited to weigh in on residential speed limits before July 31, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. EST by answering three short survey questions on the City of London's Get Involved website (getinvolved.london.ca/residential-speeds).

The survey results will be considered by London’s Roads and Transportation staff as they prepare their default speed limit recommendation for City Council.

The opportunity came about from an amendment to Ontario's Highway Traffic Act. In London and all urban areas, the current default speed limit is 50 kilometres per hour.

To find out if your street is considered a residential street, please contact visionzero@london.ca or call 519-661-4580.