Addressing traffic issues in the Ward

One of the most frequent requests for assistance to my office comes in the form of reported traffic issues. Residents often reach out to report excessive speeding and unsafe driving conditions, providing helpful suggestions about how the City might improve the safety of our roads for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

I wanted to take a moment to outline what my office’s role is in addressing these issues, how the City can assist through the 3-1-1 process, and what other options exist to address traffic-related issues in our communities.

My office’s role

City Councillors play a part in addressing concerns regarding traffic issues, speeding, and other violations.

Our biggest ability to inform change comes in the form of the City’s Temporary Traffic Calming (TTC) program. This program provides Councillor’s offices with an annual budget for introducing measures such as speed boards, flex stakes, speed humps, and more.

To introduce these measures, our office works with City staff to conduct a traffic study. If warrants are met, staff recommend TTC measures to my office, and we work with staff to determine the best measures to introduce. While this process can take several months, it ensures that measures are introduced only where they are merited and the best measures are introduced to successfully calm traffic.

The annual budget that our office has is extremely limited; unfortunately, we cannot introduce as many measures every year as we have requests. Additionally, repair costs for existing assets come from our budgets, further limiting what we can introduce each year. However, the measures build over time as once they are installed, we do not have to pay for their annual re-installation. Over time, this program helps ensure that measures are introduced across the Ward.

Beyond the TTC program, my office mostly plays a supporting role. We are consulted on major changes and can provide recommendations to staff. We can support residents in filing requests to 3-1-1 or ensuring that there is appropriate and timely follow up on their requests. And ultimately, I work with my Council colleagues to set City-wide policy. For instance, I am working to get more money allocated towards infrastructure improvements that can benefit our Ward; this is something that I am working with my colleagues to implement. I am also working to remove Manotick from the City’s truck route network, which is a larger change which requires considerable effort behind the scenes with staff and Council.  

When it comes to matters such as road upgrades and resurfacing, major infrastructure re-design, stop signs and traffic signals, posted speed limits, automated speed enforcement, red light cameras, and more, these matters are largely outside the control of Councillors’ offices and instead are addressed through standardized City policies.

3-1-1 and the City

Most changes to manage traffic outside the City’s TTC program are managed by authority that has been delegated from Council to staff. This allows staff to apply independent criteria and standards assigned by the Province to ensure that measures instituted address traffic issues. Moreover, this allows for an equitable distribution of resources across the City, where the areas that most warrant changes are prioritized. Though removing political involvement limits my ability to direct staff, it ensures that I am not competing against my fellow Councillors for limited funds. These independent measures are imperfect, but are fairer than the alternative for our Ward.

This means that measures like road upgrades and resurfacing, major infrastructure re-design, stop signs and traffic signals, posted speed limits, automated speed enforcement, red light cameras, and more are not measures that my office can directly influence. While I am often consulted on changes and provide my input as to priorities for the Ward, I am not in a position to provide direction on these issues.

If you would like to see measures considered for your community, or have issues such as potholes to report, the best thing you can do is to contact 3-1-1 to submit a request.

Other options for assistance

Is there a road or intersection in your community that has frequent excessive speeding or traffic violations? The best thing to do is to file a non-emergency police report with the OPS. Non-emergency reports do not need to include every detail, such as license plate numbers or vehicle models; they can speak to general or frequent traffic violations.

These reports are vital as they are used to inform where police officers dealing with traffic enforcement are assigned. This is the only way for the public to inform where officers are placed. Police enforcement of speed limits and safe driving is a very effective way to reduce speeding and traffic violations.

Non-emergency reports can be filed online here or by phone at 613-236-1222, extension 7300, seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Conclusion

To recap, my office can do the following:

·       Initiate traffic studies

·       Implement temporary traffic calming measures

·       Advise on an approach to neighbourhood traffic calming

·       Provide recommendations to staff on more substantive measures

·       Work at Council to change policy

·       Support other 3-1-1 requests, such as with respect to potholes

There are many measures that are managed by City staff. Though my office can provide some input, the following measures are largely outside of my direct purview:

·       Road upgrades and resurfacing

·       Major road and intersection redesign

·       Active transit installations

·       Most signage, such as stop signs, and signals

·       Posted speed limits

·       Automated Speed Enforcement and red-light cameras

·       Road usage and routing

·       Traffic violation enforcement

Residents with suggestions on items outside my purview to influence are still encouraged to reach out. Though I do not have the ability to implement every change that our communities might benefit from, I always make sure to bring residents’ concerns to staff and to use those concerns to drive change on a policy basis around the Council table. As I work to make sure that our Ward’s priorities are taken seriously, input from residents is always appreciated.