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More safety zones recommended in city

Reduced speed limits also suggested

By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express

More community safety zones are likely in the cards for Oshawa.

The city’s active transportation advisory committee has recommended staff consider creating safety zones in areas surrounding schools and locations identified as having a significant senior population.

The city’s first safety zone was established in December 2018 in the area of Durham College and Ontario Tech University.

It spans a section of Conlin Road near the intersection of Simcoe Street, designated 100 metres to the west at Founders Drive and 100 metres east at Bridle Road.

Ward 2 regional councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri pushed for the safety zone after a 19-year-old university student was struck and killed last November.

The Region of Durham established a safety zone on its portion of Simcoe Street North from Niagara Drive/Selleck Lane to the south and the entrance of Durham College’s Campus Ice Centre to the north.

Marimpietri told The Oshawa Express plans are in place to broaden the city’s safety zone east to Ritson Road and west to Stevenson Road.

“I don’t want to call it an expansion as much as the second phase of what we were looking at,” he said.

The advisory committee also recommended staff investigates the possibility of reducing speed limits to increase pedestrian safety.

The safety zone implemented last year saw the reduction of speed limits on Simcoe Street North, between Conlin Road and Britannia Avenue, from 60 km/h to 50 km/h and from 80 km/h to 60 km/h from Britannia Avenue north to Highway 407.

When travelling in safety zones, drivers face higher penalties for violations, including speeding and careless driving.

Marimpietri said there is already proof of the impact of the community safety zone through police enforcement statistics.

“I have to thank DRPS and our Police Chief for understanding just how important this outlook and this project is. It’s something I’ve kept a close eye on.”

He is pleased the advisory committee has recommended more safety zones be created, as Marimpietri believes it has become “something of a matter of need.”

 

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