[SteelTown]

Slowly does it in North End

BY DANA BROWN

North End drivers better get ready to slow down. Way down.

A draft consultant’s report has recommended dropping speed limits to 30 km/h on nearly all streets from Wellington Street North to the CN Rail line and over to the harbour.

Only James Street North and Burlington Street, east of James, are exempt and will stay at 50 km/h.

The report, dated February 2008, outlines recommendations for a preliminary preferred North End Traffic Management Plan and has been in the works for some time.

Three public open houses were held on the $1.6-million plan from May 2006 to June 2007.

In addition to reducing speed limits, the report also recommends more than 50 traffic calming and management initiatives, including street closures, bike lanes, extended curbs, chokers and more onstreet parking.

Previously, municipalities weren’t allowed to drop speed limits below 40 kilometres an hour, but changes to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act have now made it possible.

“I think it’s ... almost daring in a sense because 30’s a very slow speed,” said Ward 2 Councillor Bob Bratina.

“You try to drive your car at 30 and you’ll find that it’s difficult. But we need to re-examine the way we move around the city.”

The report points out the area could be used to monitor things like traffic volumes, safety, air quality and speed.

“The North End is well-defined, it’s easy to monitor, and then we can see whether it’s something we should apply to other neighbourhoods,” Bratina said.

The study started as a result of concerns about the redevelopment of Pier 8.

The plan is striving to make the North End neighbourhood more pedestrian- and family-friendly, in part by getting rid of cut-through traffic.

Key recommendations for the North End:
❚ Reduced speed limits with traffic calming measures
❚ Establish a permanent transit route for North End and waterfront users
❚ Convert MacNab Street to two-way
❚ Narrow lanes at key entry points
❚ Build a roundabout at the intersection of James and Strachan streets
❚ Close Hughson Street North between Guise Street and Brock Street; close northbound traffic on Bay Street North above Burlington and southbound traffic on Ferguson Avenue North at Burlington
❚ Enhanced pedestrian crossings

North Endby the numbers:
5,250: Number of people who live in the North End
21: percentage of residents under 15
8,170: Number of vehicles a day on James Street North
10,030: Number of vehicles on Burlington Street per day

(Figures only cover the part of the street
that falls within the study area.)