30 for Sunnyside?

Bigtime · #1 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 1:38 PM**

I saw this mentioned in the Herald article today about Rocky Ridge wanting to try and use "pace cars" to slow traffic on their roads.

http://www.30forsunnyside.com/

The name pretty much says it all, looks like a group is starting a petition to have the speed limit in all of Sunnyside (excluding Memorial and 10th street) to 30km/h.

Personally I've never noticed a problem with speeding cars in our neighbourhood, the only road that can really accommodate it is 7th/2nd avenue, and even then it has a few 4-way stops and a big playground zone by Sunnyside school.

Almost all the other roads in the community and narrow and have on street parking, so they naturally limit the speed of vehicles traveling on them.

Thoughts?

Here is the map showing the proposed area:

You Need A Thneed · #2 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 2:43 PM**

How many cars drive much more than 30 now? It doesn't look like there is much opportunity to do so. It would probably be better to spend the effort getting a couple of small roundabouts put in.

Bigtime · #3 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 3:01 PM**

Yeah I just don't understand the need for this in Sunnyside, we walk along 7th/2nd avenue all the time (the widest road) and I very rarely see traffic speeding through. Nothing like what you see on the main roads through the suburbs.

Or are they pitching it here because they figure it is an easier sell than other communities? The Sun will have a field day with this.

MarkL · #4 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 3:05 PM**

Wow, what a great idea! After the latest epidemic of pedestrian fatalities in Sunnyside, this is almost a no-brainer. I hope that the successful campaign in Sunnyside leads to a wider adoption of 30km/h zones throughout the city!

GTING · #5 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 3:13 PM**

This seems appropriate:

• Video Link

freeweed · #6 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 3:23 PM**

That's the most passive-aggressive, hall monitor bullshit I've heard yet.

I'm still trying to figure out where all of these kids are dying in playground zones in Calgary.

Ironically, the very same parents that bitch about speeding are the prime causes of traffic danger in Rocky Ridge/Royal Oak. I live close to the school, and it's unbelievable how much traffic the area sees thrice daily. You'd think it was a shopping mall with tens of thousands of shoppers on hand. Or a major freeway. Constant traffic for 30-45 minutes each time.

Did all of these people grow up on farms, or what? As a kid I had to deal with 50 km/h zones daily, and often 60-70. As a pedestrian and cyclist. I managed to be on and cross the road safely every time. In fact, out of all the kids killed on the roads throughout my entire childhood, they all died from their own (or their friends') drinking and driving. I can't think of a single kid killed by someone speeding through a playground zone. And I mean ever.

Boris2k7 · #7 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 3:43 PM**

I shall not mention all the bullshit speedbumps in Evergreen/Shawnee...

Erm, oops...

MarkL · #8 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 3:52 PM**

Now that I got my sarcasm for the morning out, I have to ask: when was the last pedestrian fatality in Sunnyside?

rotten42 · #9 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 4:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeweed

That's the most passive-aggressive, hall monitor bullshit I've heard yet.

I'm still trying to figure out where all of these kids are dying in playground zones in Calgary.

Ironically, the very same parents that bitch about speeding are the prime causes of traffic danger in Rocky Ridge/Royal Oak. I live close to the school, and it's unbelievable how much traffic the area sees thrice daily. You'd think it was a shopping mall with tens of thousands of shoppers on hand. Or a major freeway. Constant traffic for 30-45 minutes each time.

Did all of these people grow up on farms, or what? As a kid I had to deal with 50 km/h zones daily, and often 60-70. As a pedestrian and cyclist. I managed to be on and cross the road safely every time. In fact, out of all the kids killed on the roads throughout my entire childhood, they all died from their own (or their friends') drinking and driving. I can't think of a single kid killed by someone speeding through a playground zone. And I mean ever.

totally agree!

ken0042 · #10 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 4:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeweed

As a kid I had to deal with 50 km/h zones daily, and often 60-70. As a pedestrian and cyclist. I managed to be on and cross the road safely every time.

Yeah, it makes me wonder if the better course of action would be to update the pedestrian right of way rules. Something like you would see in Manioba or Ontario; where pedestrians have right of way but need to indicate their intentions. The one thing that I couldn't believe when I first moved to Calgary was how pedestrians here just step out into traffic without really looking.

I also see parents walking with their kids and demonstrating the same lack of care and attention.

freeweed · #11 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 4:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

Yeah, it makes me wonder if the better course of action would be to update the pedestrian right of way rules. Something like you would see in Manioba or Ontario; where pedestrians have right of way but need to indicate their intentions. The one thing that I couldn't believe when I first moved to Calgary was how pedestrians here just step out into traffic without really looking.

I'm not sure the rules (laws, really) are any different. I think it's just something that has evolved in Calgary as an extreme form of "politeness".

I could be mistaken though - someone correct me if I'm wrong. I'm pretty sure it's still legally jaywalking unless you're at a proper, controlled intersection. And there, you're not required to signal anything. Pedestrians have the right of way, end of story - presuming they're crossing with the light if it exists.

Policy Wonk · #12 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeweed

That's the most passive-aggressive, hall monitor bullshit I've heard yet.

Let me introduce you to the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, who was given a $100,000 grant to produce this report.

http://www.vandu.org/documents/WereA...NAL_REPORT.pdf

This was implemented, against the wishes of the Vancouver Police.

Calgarian · #13 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 4:55 PM**

I agree completely that this is just over reacting to a problem that doesn't really exist. I think that these people should have to prove that there is actually a need for the 30km/h speed limit by showing statistics of the number of pedestrians (children) that are hit by cars every year.

As the neighbourhood continues to change to a higher density built form, I very much question whether people will even be able to drive 50. In the Beltline, most roads are very narrow, and with cars parked on both sides, you rarely get over 30 anyway (aside from 11th and 12th Aves of course, I regularly hit 60 on them).

Bigtime · #14 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 5:01 PM**

Agreeing with many of the points made here, and like I've said the only road in Sunnyside that doesn't have natural calming due to width and on-street parking is 7th/2nd avenue. And even then I've never seen people ripping by on it.

I think they are trying to sell this in Sunnyside first since it is a relatively small (distance wise) community, and any "results" they can claim can be used for the next neigbhourhood they target.

RyLucky · #15 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 5:45 PM**

Nobody drives fast in sunnyside. We don't need a reduced speed limit. We don't need any traffic calming.

What we do need is a xwalk on memorial at 8th st.

Full Mountain · #16 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 6:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeweed

I'm not sure the rules (laws, really) are any different. I think it's just something that has evolved in Calgary as an extreme form of "politeness".

I could be mistaken though - someone correct me if I'm wrong. I'm pretty sure it's still legally jaywalking unless you're at a proper, controlled intersection. And there, you're not required to signal anything. Pedestrians have the right of way, end of story - presuming they're crossing with the light if it exists.

A pedestrian can cross at any intersection controlled or not and have the right-of-way, jaywalking would be crossing not at a corner or in a prohibited location.

freeweed · #17 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 6:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

A pedestrian can cross at any intersection controlled or not and have the right-of-way, jaywalking would be crossing not at a corner or in a prohibited location.

Bad wording on my part. I probably should have said "designated intersection". As opposed to the middle of the road, which Calgarians seem fond of doing (and traffic seems fond of stopping for).

Calgarian · #18 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

A pedestrian can cross at any intersection controlled or not and have the right-of-way, jaywalking would be crossing not at a corner or in a prohibited location.

It's surprising how many people don't know this. I've been honked or yelled at a million times for crossing in an unmarked crosswalk. Most drivers refuse to believe that they don't have the right of way.

Mazrim · #19 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 7:09 PM**

People are going to continue driving at whatever speed they were doing before here even if they change these speed limits. Since the standard is 50km/h in a residential area, guess what....they will keep doing 50 if they did before. They'll probably just laugh at the 30 and wonder why they bothered.

DizzyEdge · #20 Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 8:35 PM**

Makes sense that there's not really any speeding in Sunnyside since there's no where to cut through to. Now the blocks around the intersection of 20th avenue and 4th st NW, they get some pickup truck drivers going 60 down a road with wall to wall parked cars on both sides and could use some speed abatement.