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MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2016
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Charter could slow drivers ROAD SAFETY
Changing speed limits is currently difficult for cities Brodie Thomas
Metro | Calgary The long-awaited city charters could let big cities make roads safer by giving them more control over local speed limits. Gerry Shimko, executive director of Edmonton’s office of traffic safety, said the two big cities in Alberta are looking at the possibility. “We’re working with City of Calgary on what would it look like if we reduced speeds in residential areas to 40 kilometres per hour,” he said. He said currently the default on any unmarked road provincewide is 50 km/h. That includes residential neighbourhoods. If negotiated with the province, the cities could have new jurisdiction over speed limits. Shimko said giving the municipalities
that power could be a huge cost savings. Right now, there’s nothing stopping cities from making residential streets 40 or 30 km/h zones, but they have to post signs saying as much. Coun. Shane Keating, chair of the city’s transportation and transit committee, said he has no idea if control will be ceded to the big cities in the charter, but he thinks it’s a good idea. “I can’t see it being something that could not be within the charter. @That in many ways is what the charters are all about — giving the larger municipalities the authority to make these changes.” He said while many people are hung up on the idea of taxes, the charters are really more about housekeeping items.
50 km/h 40 km/h Default speed on unmarked roads across Alberta
Possible default speed if city charters created