Bay Roberts council meets one speedbump request after another

By Mark Squibb
September 29, 2023 Edition

Bay Roberts council last week fielded two speedbump requests, refusing one and approving the other.

The first request was from a resident of Country Road.

Mayor Walter Yetman said council is aware many people have been using Country Road as a detour to avoid traffic disruptions along the main road due to construction. To that end, the town has already installed two temporary speedbumps along the road to slow traffic.

The resident, pleased with the installation of the two temporary speedbumps, had requested a third.

The resident had also asked for another streetlight, citing low visibility at the L.T. Stick Drive intersection.

Councillor Dean Franey recommended council submit the street light request to council’s public works committee for consideration.

Franey also recommended council deny the speedbump request on the basis that council has already installed two temporary ones along the road.

He concluded that should council approve the request, “everyone will want one in front of their house.”

Councillor Frank Deering sympathised with the resident, saying the long stretch of road from L.T. Stick to the first of the two speedbumps gives drivers plenty of time to reach high speeds before having to slow down again.

Councillor Perry Bowering asked whether there are any of the temporary speedbumps left over to install should council lean that way.

CAO Nigel Black said he would have to look into it.

Bowering moved that if Public Works has a temporary speedbump on hand, to place it on Country Road near the L.T. Stick Drive end.

Franey was the lone councillor to vote against the motion.

Council then fielded a second request for a speedbump, this time along Shearstown Road.

Black recommended council reject the request, although he noted that speeding is a concern in the area.

Council rejected the request on the basis that it didn’t meet the speedbump policy, which dictates that speedbumps be placed near schools and recreation areas such as parks and playgrounds.

“My parents live on Shearstown Road, and it was only last week that mom asked me (for a speedbump) and I said no because we have a policy and unfortunately it doesn’t meet the policy,” said Franey. “I’d love to see a speedbump in front of mom and dad’s house, but unfortunately, that’s the way it is. We’ve told other areas of the town that it doesn’t meet the policy.”

Deputy Mayor Geoff Seymour added that, besides speedbumps, council has created a number of three-way and four-way stops to reduce speeds, and has asked the RCMP to increase patrols.

Seymour did allow that there may be a playground in Shearstown that does not have a speedbump installed nearby, and suggested staff have a look to see if that’s the case.

“Maybe that’s an area that we missed,” said Seymour. “So, we might want to think about that one.”