Speed bump approval process too slow for Aldersbrook resident

In nearly 50 years living on Aldersbrook Road, Barry Playford has seen both the volume and speed of traffic increase steadily. 

In recent years, he's also seen more collisions on his section of Aldersbrook, located west of Wonderland Road and north of Gainsborough Road.

"I call it the Aldersbrook speedway," he said. 

In March, a motorcyclist was killed on Aldersbrook near Ranchwood Cres. Last fall, a vehicle veered off Aldersbrook and took out a mature tree a few doors down from Playford's house. In another crash, a parked vehicle rolled more than 50 metres across the street after being rear-ended. 

The city reduced the speed limit on that section of Aldersbrook from 50 km/h to its current 40 km/h earlier this year, but Playford said that limit is generally ignored by drivers. 

Playford feels his stretch of road needs three or four speed bumps to slow down traffic. But in trying to follow the city's process for getting traffic-calming measures installed on residential streets, Playford hit a few speed bumps of his own in what he believes is a flawed process that almost ensures failure.

The city has a 60-page document that outlines the multi-step process residents must follow to get new traffic-calming measures approved. The process doesn't cover school zones, where the city takes a more active role in slowing traffic down.

A resident with a concern about a street like Aldersbrook must first get 10 signatures from neighbours in support of new traffic calming measures.  

"I had no problem whatsoever getting that," said Playford. 

The next step, however, was tricker. 

50% positive response required

In response to the petition signatures, the city also requires a majority of residents in the area to indicate on a survey that they want the traffic-calming measures. 

The proposed changes are mailed to residents with a "yes or no" question about whether or not they want that change to happen. A postage-paid envelope for their responses is included with each survey question.

About 60 of Playford's neighbours received the petition, but less than a third sent sent their surveys back indicating they wanted the speed bumps, he said. The city requires 51 per cent to respond in favour of the new measures before they can go ahead. 

What Playford feels is unfair is that non-responses to the survey are counted the same as submitted "no" votes. Playford is also unhappy the survey asked about eight installed speed bumps when he feels only four are needed. In addition, he said he feels that polling 60 residents was too high a number, making it difficult to reach the 50 per cent plus-one threshold for the proposed changes to go ahead.

'That's not democracy'

"They flooded the area with pre-loaded ballots," said Playford. "That's not democracy. I think there's something wrong with city administration and the way they handle something like this."

The city's document that lays out the process says the bar is set high intentionally because they want to ensure there's a strong desire in the neighbourhood for the changes.

The document points out that while speed bumps and other traffic-calming measures can effectively slow down traffic, they also come with some disadvantages: They slow down emergency vehicles and can make it more difficult for vehicles to get into and out of a neighbourhood. They can also divert traffic onto neighbouring streets and cost time and money to implement. 

Doug MacRae, the city's manager of transportation and mobility, said the city receives frequent requests for traffic-calming and has to weigh each one through a "community-driven process." 

"People are very attached to their neighbourhoods and we want the neighbourhood to guide what happens," he said.  "We are keen to fulfill community desires, but we want to have a record that the community does desire the change before it goes ahead." 

In addition to the surveys, city staff will measure traffic volume in the area where the traffic calming is requested. That section of Aldersbrook handles about 3,500 vehicles a day.

Crosswalk guard sees need for change

Regardless of the survey response, Playford isn't the only one on Aldersbrook who feels more should be done to slow drivers down. 

Shia Kozma is a crossing guard who works the intersection of Aldersbrook and Hawthorne Road three times a day. She's there to ensure students are safe as they walk to and from nearby St. Marguerite d'Youville Catholic Elementary School.

"This intersection is really crazy, especially in the afternoon," she said. "Cars just tend to not stop or slow down at all. I've been hit twice on this corner ... while in full uniform, full reflective vest with my stop sign out.

"I think people are still going 60 most of the time."

Playford feels the city's process needs to change. 

"This is a fiasco," he said. "It makes me feel like I wasted my time. Something's gotta happen or another accident will happen."