Speed limits have been reduced on regional roads at 10 locations, including six in Markham and Whitchurch-Stouffville, to help protect travellers.
“There is a balance required in setting speed limits that take a number of factors into consideration to keep travellers in our growing communities safe,” says Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas, Chair of York Region’s Public Works Transportation Services. “Lowering speed limits in these areas will help to protect travellers as the Region continues to intensify and traffic volumes increase.”
The speed limit has dropped from 80 to 70 kilometres per hour on McCowan Road from 945 metres north of Major Mackenzie Drive East to Stouffville Road and on Kennedy Road from 300 metres north of Major Mackenzie Drive East to 150 metres south of Stouffville Road.
The speed limit has also dropped by that same amount on Warden Avenue from Heritage Hill Drive to Stouffville Road, on Woodbine Avenue from 478 metres south of 19th Avenue to Stouffville Road, and on Stouffville Road from Woodbine Avenue to 700 metres west of Hwy. 48. The speed limit on Ninth Line from 150 metres north of 16th Avenue to 200 metres north of Donald Cousens Parkway in Markham is now 60 kilometres an hour, down from 70.
In the Town of Georgina, the speed limit on the Queensway South from 80 metres south of Joe Dales Drive/McMillan Drive to Glenwoods Avenue has dropped from 60 kilometres per hour to 50 and the speed limit on Weir’s Sideroad from 400 metres north of Ravenshoe Road to Old Homestead Road is now 70, down from 80. In the Township of King, the speed limit on Lloydtown-Aurora Road from one kilometre east of 8th Concession to 400 metres east of 8th Concession has dropped from 80 to 60 kilometres per hour.
York Regional Council has authority to revise speed limits under 100 kilometres per hour under the Highway Traffic Act. Speed limit signs are placed at the beginning of each changed speed zone to notify travellers of speed limit changes. For the first 60 to 90 days, those signs will be topped with the word ‘NEW.’
“As our communities continue to grow and more people are travelling, either walking, cycling, taking transit or driving, it is important we are adjusting speed limits appropriately to ensure everyone is safe,” Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson says. “Pedestrians and cyclists are vulnerable travellers and, as vehicle speed increases, severe injury rates from collisions with pedestrians and vehicles rise dramatically.”
