Our neighbourhood has been battling on traffic calming issues for the last 20 years without success. Maybe it was the right time, the accumulated effect, our accident in May 2010 plus many more since then, the computer age where we can gather the forces easier now, finally, the city put in two speed cushions at the bottom of the hill about two months ago. Our roads are marked with speed limit of 20-25 mph. Often, the transient traffic would average about 40 mph instead. On top of this, we have bicyclists’ speeding issue when they come downhill; this route has become their Tour de France practice round! The city does not have the funding to post a policeman on the street to give out speeding tickets, a decoy police car has also become a joke for the speeders. We couldn’t have speed bumps due to the grading; it has to be less than 7% steep. Oh well, one thing after another, we finally got the speed cushions. You would think everyone is at least a bit happier.
No, in the last traffic meeting, it was voted to remove them because the opposition showed up and claiming the danger for bicyclists. We had one neighbour complaining about the noise as the speed cushion is in front of his house, claiming also a devalue on the home. Really, we want the speed cushion in front of our house!!!
Anyway, the opposition showed up in numbers and prepared speech to support the removal of the speed cushions. They won. So the so-called recommendation went to the city council for final decision.
All the supporting neighbours were surprised with this outcome. So we gather our forces this time, about 40 people showed up this time, we all got in front of the podium and spoke up about our concern to remove it. Three hours later…...the city council voted to leave the speed cushion as is and instructed the city to find other measure to further calm the traffic issues on our street.
Happy dance!
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