Town signs agreement to implement automated speed enforcement

December 19, 2024 · 0 Comments

Written By PAULA BROWN

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Shelburne Town Council has approved an agreement to start a three-year pilot project for automated speed enforcement to address traffic concerns in the community.

During their meeting on Dec. 9, Shelburne Town Council received a report from Jennifer Willoughby, director of legislative services, regarding the implementation of automated speed enforcement (ASE). The report recommended the Town of Shelburne enter a service agreement with Global Traffic Group Ltd. to implement a three-year pilot project.

According to the Council report, the Town of Shelburne is expected to begin the pilot project during the third quarter of 2025 and will receive five cameras, which will be mounted onto existing posts or poles in selected locations. The cameras will collect data on traffic counts, vehicle speeds, stop data and driver behaviour.

“Global and Town staff will determine and implement the number of zones, operating hours and commencement dates for our program,” said Willoughby.

Traffic calming is a common physical approach to slowing down traffic and altering motorist behaviour on streets for drivers to have better attention to their surroundings. The goal of traffic calming is to ensure that roadways are safe for all users, such as motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.

In recent years, the Town of Shelburne has implemented various traffic calming measures including, digital radar speed signs, enhanced crosswalk signage, expansion of designated/marked on-street parking, flexible bollards for seasonal lane delineation, pavement markings, seasonal speed cushions, and the reduction of speed limits on Town streets to 40 km.

“Further research and investigation recommends that adding automated speed enforcement as a added measure to further enforce speed limits, to assist OPP and the Town, for continuous provision of a safe and efficient road network,” reads the report.

Willoughby noted that the Highway Traffic Act permits the use of ASE in community safety zones and in school zones.

In 2021, the majority of streets in Shelburne were designated as community safety zones, and Shelburne Town Council approved and passed the motion to reduce the speed limit in town, with the exception of connecting link roadways, to 40 km/h.

A 90-day public awareness period is required before starting the ASC program and an additional 90-day awareness signage must be posted each time the speed device is moved to a new location.

The implementation of the pilot project was included in the 2025 Budget Framework and is based on a revenue-neutral structure.