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SDG – Complaints about excessive speed on numerous county roads has promoted the United Counties of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry staff to recommend speed reductions on selected county roads.

Over the past several months, staff have investigated and reviewed existing speed limits on roads in every county municipality.

North Dundas had its share of roads that have become unsafe due to speeders.

County Road 1 which runs through the village of Hallville has a current speed limit of 50 km/hr. That speed limit extends to St. John Street in the village and then continues with a speed limit of 60 km/hr north for another 200 plus metres.

Hallville is experiencing growth which results in more people, more children and more pets living near a busy road.

North Dundas Mayor Tony Fraser said, “This is something we have been concerned about with Hallville growing.”

With the announcement that the long-awaited park will be happening, there is a concern about the number of residents who will be walking along the road.

“We have been thinking about different ways we could get the speed down,” said the mayor.

He does not believe there is any reason for motorists to have to feel they have to travel quickly through a village or hamlet. He said extending the 50 km/hr speed zones a bit further along the road through Hallville going North is a good idea.

“It is just better for all of our communities to be safer.”

Tying into that growth is the news of a grant designed to develop the Hallville Community Park. The SD&G report stated: “(The park) is located near the 60 km/hr. hour zone (opposite an existing residential area). All of these factors will result in increased vehicle access and pedestrian use; which is why staff are recommending the extension of the 50 km/hr speed limit north (past the entrance to the Wylie Creek Subdivision) and the creation of a new 60km/hr transitional speed zone north of the newly expanded 50km/hr zone.”

SD&G County Road 18 is in St. Raphael’s. An investigation into complaints about excessive speed in the community confirm that the existing speed limit of 60km/hr is too high.

A speed limit review has confirmed that the existing speed limit of 60 km/hr through St. Raphael’s should be reduced to 50 km/hr. The report stated: “Transitional speed zones were considered at the limits of the 50 km/hr zone; however, after input from the OPP during the recent SDG Road Safety Task Force meeting, it was confirmed that a transitional speed zone would not be effective given the roadside environment outside the existing settlement area (there is a rapid transition from rural to urban cross section).

In Williamsburg on County Road 18 the speed limit review indicated that the existing 50 km/hr west of County Road 31 needed to be expanded to the Schell St. entrance to the west. The report stated: “The 60km/hr transitional speed zone was also extended (400 m west).

In the village of Summerstown on County Road 27 the review concluded that the existing speed limit of 1,000 metres north of SDG 2 should be reduced from 80km/hr to 70km/hr.

The report stated: “This is a result of the continued development having direct access onto SDG 2. As development in this area continues, staff expects that further speed limit reductions will be warranted. A review of Post Road, SDG 36 suggests that a reduction in speed is warranted (from 80 km/hr to 70 km/hr.). “Similar to the findings of the SDG 27 review, as additional development takes place along this section of SDG 36, staff expect [that] further speed limit reductions should be considered,” stated the report.