Sudbury looks at more speed bumps, wider bike lanes to curb speeding drivers

Staff at Sudbury city hallhave a traffic-calming wish list that's 29 streets long.

The streets will be first in line for modifications that would slow down traffic and make the areas safer for pedestrians, the city said.

Auger Avenue and Riverside Drivetop the list, but Brenda Drive, Michelle Drive and York Street are also singled-out.

Joe Rocca, the city's traffic and asset management supervisor, said his staff is considering many options to slow down traffic, from wider bike lanes and extended curbs, to the more traditional raised meridians and speed bumps.

"It really depends on the road we're looking at," Rocca said. "All the options are dependent on what problems the neighbours are having in that area, and how we're trying to make their road a little more livable for them."

Neighbours also have to agree on the measures before city starts implementing them, Rocca said.

Discussing speed bumps was a 'no-no'

Ward 11 Councillor Lynne Reynolds said she was "surprised" thecity was still pushing speed bumps.

A few years ago the subject was a "no-no" when the city was discussing changes to Southview Drive, a street that has undergone several attempts at slowing down traffic.

"I'm wondering if our citizens will find this disrupts the smooth flow of traffic," Reynolds said. "Because it can be quite annoying when the person in front of you stops going over the speed bump. There are people that do that."

"They totally stop."

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Reynolds also said it appeared staff was selecting the devices used for slowing traffic on an "ad-hoc basis."

"If we go with speed bumps, everyone's going to want one in front of their house," she said.

Tony Cecutti, the city's general manager of infrastructure, said speed bumps aren't always popular with commuters, but they've been effective in other parts of the city.

"We think it's the right balance in an appropriate area where it's an appropriate solution," Cecutti said. "It's not the solution we'll be using always, but it's something now that's on our list of options to do."

"We do recognize that for some people that have used it for commuting it's a big difference and we're hoping that they get used to that in a short period of time," he added.