Keep calm and drive on: City to look at reducing speed limit on residential streets

Fed up with drivers speeding down residential streets, Windsorites like Giulia Jimenes are and are in support of the city reducing the limit or putting in other preventative measures. 

"Even with children they don't even slow down, they just keep going. I don't let my kids play in the front yard because I don't want to have to deal with these cars," said Jimenes, who lives on Avondale Street. 

On Monday, city councillors will consider either lowering the residential speed limits on all non-arterial roads from 50 km/h to 40 km/h or installing speed humps. 

Resident Matt Balmer had the city survey the people in his Avondale-area neighbourhood to see what they prefer. Of the people CBC News spoke with on Thursday, many said they were in favour of the speed humps and also lowering the speed limit.

"I think speed humps would be a good idea just because the length of the street. I know it's 50 [km/h] here, probably should be a 40 [km/h]," Balmer said. 

He told CBC News that he worries for his children and even bought them LED armbands if they're out into the evening. 

"It's dangerous," said Joe Pare, who also lives on Avondale Street. "I mean there's no need for it. If you're driving home, there's no rush."

The city has been looking into reducing the speed limit on residential streets since March of last year.

On Oct. 21, the environment, transportation and public safety committee voted to propose a 40 km/h speed limit at the next city council meeting and only place 50 km/h on major roads.

But when the report went before council in November, councillors voted to receive more information in a report from administration, as some weren't convinced of the speed-reduction measure. 

It will cost $734,000 to lower the speed limits city-wide and $1 million to put in speed humps.