PEI

'People don't feel safe': Cornwall working to curb speeders

The Town of Cornwall, P.E.I., has installed new radar signs, speed bumps and increased police enforcement to slow down drivers, but some residents are still waiting to see a difference.

'You just have to be aware all the time'

A passing vehicle triggers a Cornwall radar sign in a 40 km/h zone Friday. (Tom Steepe/CBC)

The Town of Cornwall, P.E.I., has installed new radar signs, speed bumps and increased police enforcement to slow down drivers, but some residents are still waiting to see a difference.

Deputy Mayor Cory Stevenson said speeding and traffic violations were the main issue candidates heard on the doorstep during the municipal election last fall.

"People don't feel safe walking," said Stevenson.

"Parents didn't feel safe letting their children walk to school, so we needed to address it because we want to see people being active, we want to see them outside, we want to see a good community feel here in Cornwall, and there's no reason people shouldn't feel safe."

Cory Stevenson poses by one of the 22 speed bumps installed in the town. (Tom Steepe/CBC)

The town has three radar signs to tell drivers how fast they are going and whether they are speeding, and has just purchased five more. It has been working with RCMP to identify trouble spots, and there have been more tickets issued.

Twenty two speed bumps have been installed, and the town has ordered two more.

'Every street out here in Cornwall is dangerous'

But Paul and Helen Arsenault, who go out walking in Cornwall every day, are still waiting to see a change in people's behaviour.

Paul and Helen Arsenault walk every day in Cornwall, and say they have to be vigilant. (Tom Steepe/CBC)

"Every street out here in Cornwall is dangerous," Paul said.

Helen said people ignoring stop signs is also a big problem.

"You just have to be aware all the time," she said. "Especially if we're in a crosswalk, we don't assume that they see us. They have to come to a complete stop otherwise they just zoom right by. We see them go through stop signs without even slowing down."

Stevenson said council is acting on every measure it can think of, and he is hopeful drivers in the town will start paying attention soon.

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With files from Tom Steepe