Survey doesn’t support speed concerns
A recent traffic survey has done little to help Clearview Township council and staff figure out how to address residents’ claims that speeding is a concern, especially in Creemore.
In June, a group of Creemore residents made a presentation to council requesting traffic calming measures, such as additional stop signs and lowered speed limits.
Realizing that speed is a concern for all township residents, council decided to do a township wide assessment of traffic concerns via a survey.
Throughout the month of September, 303 surveys were returned (which staff reported was not a sufficient return to be statistically relevant) with 71 per cent saying there is a speeding issue in Clearview but 57.3 per cent saying speed limits should remain the same (57.5 per cent said the level of police enforcement is not adequate). Of all the respondents, 49 per cent live in or near Creemore.
Many councillors, while discussing the survey results on Nov. 28, said this is a Creemore specific concern but even when the Creemore responses are considered separately, 58 per cent said the speed limits should remain the same.
“The problem is specific,” said Councillor Kevin Elwood. “Leave it at this and deal with one location.”
“The numbers don’t add up,” said Deputy Mayor Barry Burton. “We have an area where citizens are concerned about speeding.”
CAO Stephen Sage said staff still doesn’t have a clear picture of what the problem is.
“Normally we want absolute concrete evidence of what needs to be done,” he said. “All the evidence shows the speeding problem is no worse than anywhere else in Clearview.”
Sage suggested putting the township’s radar signs in stealth mode to collect more data.
“This isn’t about speed. This isn’t about data. It’s about what they perceive in their community,” said Councillor Shawn Davidson.
“They did not want to believe the data as presented,” said Councillor Robert Walker. “They don’t wish to support it or acknowledge it.”
Davidson said, in defence of the group they came to council with concerns about their own neighbourhood and they agreed begrudgingly to participate in the survey by helping to form the questions because that was the only direction council was willing to take.
The Creemore group concerned with speeding, Doug Mills, Carol Ray and Linda Coulter, has been invited to come back to council chambers in the New Year.
