Children should be able to walk to school, families should be able to enjoy their local parks, and seniors should be able to cross streets safely.
Yet speeding, dangerous driving and inadequate pedestrian crossings remain concerns across Ward 6. Residents have shared stories of vehicles racing through residential streets, drivers ignoring stop signs and families avoiding walking routes because they don’t feel safe.
Since taking office in 2022, making our streets safer has been one of our highest priorities. We’ve worked with residents and City staff to deliver practical improvements across the Ward, while continuing to advocate for more substantial changes where they’re needed.
Making the Greatest Difference
With so many streets needing attention, we want to make the greatest possible improvement in road safety with the resources available.
That means focusing on cost-effective solutions that can improve safety across as many neighbourhood streets as possible.
Measures such as pavement markings and centre-line bollards can encourage drivers to slow down at relatively modest cost. These improvements allow us to address concerns on more streets rather than concentrating our resources on a handful of expensive projects.
But the least expensive solution isn’t always the right one. Some locations need speed cushions, upgraded pedestrian crossings or significant changes to road design.
Our goal isn’t simply to spend less. It’s to make more streets safer.
Choosing the Right Solution Also Matters
For example, we support adding all-way stop signs where traffic conditions justify them. But stop signs are intended to control the right-of-way at intersections, not to manage speeding. Installing them where they aren’t warranted can encourage drivers to roll through or ignore them, creating additional safety concerns.
Learn more about the tools we’re using and how they work on our Ward 6 Traffic Calming page.
Making Progress Across Ward 6
Working with City staff and residents, we’ve advanced a growing program of traffic-safety improvements across Ward 6.
Our work includes:
- pavement markings that visually narrow driving lanes
- centre-line bollards that encourage slower driving
- speed cushions
- improved pedestrian crossings
- electronic signs that remind drivers of their speed
Some of these improvements are relatively simple to install. Others require engineering studies, community consultation and significant investment.
The Ward 6 Projects map now identifies more than 50 traffic-safety projects across the Ward, including completed improvements, work underway and future projects.
Explore our Ward 6 Projects Map to see what’s happening in your neighbourhood.
Continuing the Work for Safer Streets
While we’ve made progress, some of the most important improvements are also the most challenging to achieve.
More Speed Cushions
Speed cushions are an effective way to physically encourage drivers to reduce their speeds. Unlike signs that simply remind drivers of the speed limit, speed cushions influence how fast vehicles can comfortably travel.
We’ve supported their installation on neighbourhood streets and continue to advocate for more where excessive speeding is a persistent concern.
Not every road qualifies under the City’s traffic-calming requirements. We continue to work with residents and City staff to identify appropriate locations and pursue improvements where they’re justified.
Safer Pedestrian Crossings
Being able to cross a busy road safely shouldn’t be a barrier to visiting a park, walking to school or reaching a neighbourhood destination.
We’re particularly focused on improving pedestrian crossings with flashing beacons or traffic signals where appropriate. These provide greater visibility and clearer direction to drivers and pedestrians.
We’ve also supported residents organizing petitions for improved crossings, helping neighbourhoods make their concerns heard and encouraging further review of locations where additional protection is needed.
Building Safer Major Roads
Major road reconstruction provides an important opportunity to improve safety for decades to come.
Creditview Road and Bristol Road are two busy corridors where residents have raised serious traffic-safety concerns. As plans for improvements and reconstruction move forward, we’re advocating for designs that manage vehicle speeds, provide safer pedestrian crossings and better accommodate everyone using these roads.
These are opportunities to address safety through the design of the road itself, rather than trying to correct problems after construction is complete.
Road improvements need to consider traffic movement, but moving vehicles efficiently cannot be the only measure of success.
A better road should also be a safer road.
Safe Streets Are Also Safe Neighbourhoods
Street safety isn’t only about traffic. It’s also about protecting our neighbourhoods from crime.
We support investing in effective policing and enforcement to address dangerous driving and criminal activity. Community initiatives such as Neighbourhood Watch also play an important role by helping residents get to know one another and look out for their neighbours.
When we know the people who live around us, we’re also encouraged to be more considerate of others when driving through our neighbourhoods.
Our Safe Streets and Strong Neighbourhoods priorities reinforce one another. Safer streets help create stronger communities, and stronger communities encourage us to take better care of one another.
Help Make Your Street Safer
Residents play an important role in identifying traffic-safety concerns.
If you’re worried about speeding, an unsafe crossing or another traffic issue in your neighbourhood, we want to hear from you.
Not every concern can be resolved immediately, and not every requested measure will meet the City’s requirements. But understanding where residents are experiencing problems helps us work with City staff to evaluate possible solutions and prioritize improvements.
We can also help residents understand the City’s review process and how to advocate for changes in their neighbourhoods.
Have a traffic-safety concern? Contact our office to tell us about it.
How Our Priorities Were Shaped
Our priorities grew out of conversations with thousands of Ward 6 residents. Traffic safety, rising property taxes, City responsiveness and neighbourhood safety were among the concerns raised most frequently.
Those conversations helped shape our three priorities: Safe Streets, Fair Taxes and Strong Neighbourhoods. They continue to guide our work as we listen to residents, address local concerns and look for opportunities to improve our communities.
- Safe StreetsSlower traffic and safer crossings on the streets where you live.
- Fair TaxesCareful spending, so your tax dollars deliver good value.
- Strong NeighbourhoodsParks, community spaces and the groups that bring neighbours together.
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