Largest community-focused project... road safety in our neighbourhoods.
The Town of Newmarket is engaged in one of the largest community-focused projects I have ever seen and thankfully it is all about road safety in our neighbourhoods. Road Safety is the number one challenge you will hear in every municipality across the country. Sadly it is a very complex and complicated problem to solve yet so important, everyone needs to work together. The solution seems so simple to say but difficult to enforce. Change our driving habits by changing our environment.
The Town is working on a town-wide traffic mitigation strategy that will come forward to Council this year 2018. The strategy has included extensive public consultation including looking for feedback on our Town-wide Traffic Mitigation Strategy. Take the Survey Let us know your thoughts on traffic and transportation in Newmarket. Valuable community feedback will help to shape the finalized plan.
The Town’s Safety Driven Traffic Management campaign highlights the three E’s of traffic safety: Education, Enforcement and Engineering. Some of the Town’s existing traffic calming measures and speed management programs include the flexible traffic bollards (Savage Road, Sawmill Valley and Sandford Street), double the number solar-powered radar speed signs, lawn signs and ladder markings in school zones. Learn more about Newmarkets traffic mitigation strategy here…
Over the past four years, members of council and I have worked together with York Regional Police to make an impact on road safety and time and time again I hear the words of every YRP officer say… “Safer roads requires police and our community to work together to ensure that motorists, cyclists and pedestrians feel safe and secure on our roadways.”
Here are 6 major road safety accomplishments Ward 6 has achieved in the last two years…
1. The Town of Newmarket has approved an all-way stop and crosswalk enhancements at PETER HALL DRIVE and SAWMILL VALLEY DRIVE. Changes are to take place this summer. Learn more
2. Listening to the requests and concerns of Ward 6 residents, traffic signals have been approved for BATHURST STREET and CLEARMEADOW BOULEVARD. The design process is underway with changes to take place in 2019. Learn more
3. Mulock Drive from Bathurst Street to Yonge Street. Changing the current 70kn/h to 60 km/h in order to provide consistent a speed limited. Learn more
4. A pilot project using bollards Sandford Street, Sawmill Valley Drive, Savage Road traffic calming that is removable, inexpensive and effective in achieving "Traffic Calmed" neighbourhoods. Learn more
5. TOWN LAUNCHES PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTING SAFETY IN NEWMARKET SCHOOL ZONES. Learn more
6. All-way Stop Sign Control The McCaffrey & Rannie Road intersection. Learn more
In 2018 the Bollards will move to other areas in Ward 6 and I am happy to say thanks to the pilot project and the residential feedback the pilot project will be going town-wide.
FACTS: Some facts about our partnership with York Regional Police to give you an idea how close we are working together on Road Safety.
These are two ACTIVE complaint areas received by our residents that YRP is currently monitoring…
1. CLEARMEADOW/ PLANTATION GT / HEWITT CL / AUSTIN PAUL - DISOBEY SIGN - Residents complaining of speeding and stop sign violations on Plantation Gate. To date Since January 1, 2018, YRP has spent 171 hours in the one block area which includes several hours patrolling on Austin Paul. 19 Highway Traffic Act Tickets have been written at the intersection of Clearmeadow and Plantation.
2. SANDFORD ST / SAVAGE RD / EAGLE ST/ - DISOBEY SIGN - Presence and Enforcement of Speed and Stop Signs required along the entirety of Sandford Street between Eagle St. and Savage Rd. Also Red-light infractions at Mulock/Sandford. 290 Highway Traffic Act Tickets have been written in the area.
Our Ward 6 Speed Board Results…
January – March 2018 results shared with York Regional Police
2017 Results shared with York Regional Police
About Road Watch: ROAD WATCH is a community-driven program that provides citizens with a means to report aggressive or unlawful driving behaviour. Instances of speeding, unsafe lane changes, disobeying traffic lights and running stop signs are some types of behaviors that qualify for a ROAD WATCH submission. Learn more…
If you see an impaired driver, street racing or other behaviour that is an immediate danger to human safety, please call 9-1-1.
Once again safer roads requires police and our community to work together to ensure that motorists, cyclists and pedestrians feel safe and secure on our roadways.
By working together, sharing information, ideas and being engaged in our community we can achieve results for Ward 6 together.