Initial statistics point to fewer crashes on the Red Hill Valley Parkway since Hamilton police stepped up enforcement on the north-south thoroughfare.

The promising results of the pilot project suggest it should become a permanent effort to tame speeding and aggressive driving on the city highway, Coun. Chad Collins said.

"On a temporary basis, I think it's yielded results, and I think we need something more permanent in place," Collins said during Thursday's police services board meeting.

In 2018, there were 39 crashes that resulted in injuries and 54 with property damage, Deputy Chief Frank Bergen said. As of Sept. 30 this year, there were 13 collisions that caused injuries and 19 that resulted in property damage.

Between March 25, when the pilot began, and Sept. 30, there were six collisions causing injuries and seven ending with property damage, Bergen noted.

"Those statistics standing on their own speak to the veracity of our officers' presence and does go to the goal, and successfully demonstrates that we have in fact reduced aggressive driving, speeding and collisions."

The $430,000 pilot project is based on two six-hour paid-duty shifts per day, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, and special speed-detection equipment.

Based on an average fine of $220, the 3,264 infractions issued to date in the pilot have resulted in $718,080 in ticket revenue. So far, police have invested $239,699 of the pilot's $430,000 budget, resulting in a $478,381 return, Bergen noted.

In June, city council agreed to put an initial $150,000 toward the extra traffic enforcement on the Red Hill Valley Parkway after the discovery of a long-buried report that suggested the roadway was more slippery than expected.

The city repaved the parkway and a judicial inquiry into the hidden report is in its preliminary stages. There were more than 980 crashes on the Red Hill after the 2013 friction study was buried.

On Thursday, Bergen told the board police noticed a "marked change in behaviour" after the speed limit was reduced to 80 km/h from 90 km/h. "However, of those, the majority of the offences are still at 30 km over the posted rate."

Collins called it "disturbing" that so many are still nabbed driving 30 km/h over the limit. "That's really astronomical, even in light of the fact that we lowered the speed."

Police Chief Eric Girt said the intent is to continue the pilot into the new year. "This is about public safety first. If there was return on investment, that's ancillary to it."

Girt said police will present a proposal for turning the pilot into a permanent dedicated branch in the 2020 budget.

A formal report into the stepped-up enforcement effort is also to be presented to council in March.

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