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Town putting brakes on speed limit

Turner Valley residents will have to slow down in residential areas when speed limits drop this spring. The Town of Turner Valley is preparing to reduce its residential speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. At its Feb.
The Town of Turner Valley plans to focus on public education before changing its residential speed limits to 40 km/hr. The change is expected to be made sometime this spring.
The Town of Turner Valley plans to focus on public education before changing its residential speed limits to 40 km/hr. The change is expected to be made sometime this spring.

Turner Valley residents will have to slow down in residential areas when speed limits drop this spring.

The Town of Turner Valley is preparing to reduce its residential speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h.

At its Feb. 16 meeting, Town council called for an awareness and education campaign with the public before deciding when the lower speed limit will come into effect.

All roads in Turner Valley are currently set at 50 km/h, with the exception of playground zones.

“I would like to see the information starting to go out already because it will make (municipal enforcement’s) life easier” said Mayor Kelly Tuck. “I don’t think people understand that (almost) every single road in this town is going to be 40 except the two highways.”

Coun. Dona Fluter agreed, saying she would prefer residents be well prepared for the change rather than the Town rushing to get the limits in place.

“It has to have a very clear communication behind it,” she said. “Otherwise it will be absolute bedlam.”

Matt Atkinson, the Town planning coordinator, said the signs were ordered last week and public education will begin soon.

“We had to map out all the locations to make sure it’s enforceable and residents are aware of the speed limit entering each area,” he said.

Highway 22, Sunset Blvd., 16th Ave. and the non-residential portion of Decalta Road will remain at 50 km/h.

“There will be a communication campaign so residents are aware of the speed limit changes,” said Atkinson. “We want to work with the residents to ensure it’s a safe community for them. We are working out the details of that.”

The Town established a safety task force committee in 2015 to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists in town while considering such things as speed limits, crosswalks, speed bumps and pathways.

Barry Williamson, Turner Valley chief administration officer, said the committee’s speed limit recommendation has a lot of merit, considering some streets have no traffic controls.

“You have some streets where you can go the entire street without hitting a stop sign,” he said. “Some of these measures were put in to calm traffic activity and because you might be near a playground zone. It’s all the things you should be doing to create a safe community.”

The committee also implemented 11 new crosswalks throughout the community to provide a safer route for children walking to Turner Valley School. Lines for the crosswalks were painted last summer.

Atkinson said the Town is working with Alberta Transportation to add a crosswalk on the town’s highways this spring or summer at the intersections of Highway 22 and Seclusion Valley Dr. and Sunset Blvd. and George St., as recommended by the safety task force committee.

Alberta Transportation is also exploring installing crossing lights for the existing crosswalk at Sunset Blvd. and Robert St.

Council approved the committee’s recommendation to install new signage for the community’s five playground zones to ensure they all state a maximum speed limit of 30 km/h from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Atkinson said some signs currently posted near playgrounds don’t have timeframes listed, others don’t have a speed limit posted and some areas have no playground signs where there should be, such as Bailey Ridge Park.

The expenses the Town will incur to purchase and install the speed limits and playground zone signs are expected to be covered by the $45,000 Basic Municipal Transportation Grant the Town received for the project.

The Town of Okotoks implemented a 40 km/h speed limit in its residential areas at the start of this year.

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