CBS council to boost traffic control budget

As municipal budget night edges closer, Conception Bay South councillors have agreed on at least one new spending priority for next year: traffic calming.
Mayor Terry French said the Town will increase the money it spends on traffic calming measures from the $25,000 that was earmarked this past year to $90,000 in 2019.
French said traffic issues are among the single greatest concerns that councillors hear from residents.
“We want to make sure everyone – our motorists, pedestrians and cyclists – feel safe on our roads,” said French. “You can’t put a price on safety. We are a growing town, one that is focused on becoming a community of choice for families wanting to establish long-term roots. To do this, we must strive to build the safest community possible.”
French said the additional money will cover things such as more signage, pavement markings, flashing radar signs and speed humps. The Town will also continue its road safety initiatives, such as regular radar patrol in areas known for higher driving speeds, mobile digital traffic signs, targeted traffic operations with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC), and more public safety campaigns.
“This year, we completed traffic calming initiatives in the areas of Chamberlains, Topsail and Kelligrews,” said the mayor. “We installed new sidewalks in school zones. We also proudly welcomed the RNC to our Town as they opened their new detachment just a few weeks ago, and are pleased to invest in their building and continue growing our strong partnership. We want our residents to know that we hear what they are saying; we understand that high vehicle speeds are a concern and we are taking action. Hopefully, by putting more resources into traffic calming, we will get people to slow down.”
French noted the Town collects data on various streets, such as volume of traffic and average driving speed. If residents would like to learn more about the results on their street, they can visit the town’s website. He added that residents who feel speed or traffic volume is a concern in their neighbourhood, can visit the webpage to fill out a traffic calming request form. “Staff will then analyze the area and recommend action as appropriate,” said the mayor.