Residents stall on new limit

Reducing the speed limit in Black Diamond’s residential areas was panned at a public information session last week.

Several residents questioned why council is mulling over changing the speed limit from 50 km/hr to 40 in residential areas during a meeting in the municipal office the evening of Oct. 26.

“There has been no problems,” said Bob Lucas. “I don’t see a need for it. Sometimes the lower speed limits make it more dangerous because you are constantly looking at your speedometers to make sure you are not speeding.”

An online survey posted on the Town’s website between mid September and early October shows 32 per cent of the 130 people surveyed feel lowering the speed limit in residential areas would enhance pedestrian safety.

It also shows that 29 per cent of those surveyed see a need to lower the limit, 32 per cent support a reduced speed limit as a pedestrian or cyclist and that 59 per cent feel ‘very safe’ and 32 per cent feel ‘mostly safe’ when walking or cycling on residential streets.

Senior peace officer Jim Berry told those attending last week’s meeting that speeding in residential areas is not an issue in Black Diamond because of the way the streets are designed.

“If you look at the way the town is set up, the newer developments have curves and angles to keep the volume of speed down,” he said. “That’s purposely done by the developer. That’s to slow down traffic.”

On older streets, he said motorists may be able to see six blocks ahead, but there’s traffic control measures every couple of blocks.

“You can’t see more than two blocks of any road in our town without a stop sign or yield sign or curve,” he said.

Berry said peace officers have written about nine speeding tickets on residential roads in the past 10 years in Black Diamond, three of which were given out in school and playground zones.

Complaints of speeding in residential areas, playgrounds and school zones range from four in one month to none in eight months, Berry said.

He added that there have been no speed-related pedestrian or vehicle injuries reported in the last five or six years.

“There’s been a few minor accidents with vehicles, but they have been at intersections,” he said.

Berry said the Province is considering having all communities reduce their speed limits to 40 km/hr on residential streets, and that some have already done that. Okotoks and Turner Valley reduced their speed limits in residential areas earlier this year.

“There are some stats which have been given that say collision damage to pedestrians and vehicles is less at lower speeds,” he said.

Black Diamond resident Audrey Cerkvenac said it’s a waste of time for council to consider changing the speed limit in residential areas.

“If Mr. Berry says there has not been significant accidents with pedestrians and vehicles I think it would not be a good idea for council to entertain the idea,” she said. “It will cost money to implement the change. I think it would not be good for any of us if council decides to do it before any provincial mandate.”

Resident Linda Scott said the information Berry provided at the meeting does not warrant a decreased speed limit.

“Decisions should be based on facts and not on opinions,” she said. “If the facts state there isn’t a problem we shouldn’t be changing it.”

Black Diamond Mayor Glen Fagan said information collected at last week’s meeting will be brought to council for further discussion and that based on the survey results and public comments there seems to be little concern with the current residential speed limits.

“You’re looking at 68 per cent minimum feeling there is no need to change it,” he said. “I’m getting the sense that most of the community is not in favour.”