in Chatsworth, Grey Highlands, Southgate, West Grey
February 23, 2024
BY SOUTHGREY.CA STAFF — On February 22, Grey County Council received a delegation regarding speeding on Grey Road 31 in the community of Rob Roy. Resident Peter MacGowan presented the residents’ concerns and requested the speed limit be dropped to 60 km/hr at the crest of the hills to the east and west of Rob Roy. Currently, the posted speed limit on the road in the vicinity of Rob Roy is 80 km/hr, with the exception of a 60 km/hr zone running for an approximate distance of 700 metres from the Rob Roy intersection east to the church/cemetery on the north side of the road.
According to the memorandum submitted to Council by Peter MacGowan and Fraser McDonald, on behalf of concerned Rob Roy residents, Grey Road 31 in the vicinity of Rob Roy, has unique topography which makes the roadway condusive to speeding, and has significant drop-offs at roadside that pose significant danger to vehicles that might exit the roadway, triggering a rollover.
The group cited their own speed data that indicates 30% of vehicles are traveling through the 60 km/hr zone at a speed exceeding 100 km/hr.
The group also referred to components of the Grey County Speed Policy which emphasizes the importance of addressing safety-related concerns. "The Speed Policy clearly states that 'speed limits must consider safety criteria' and that speed limits should be set 'considering public safety and risk management.'”
MacGowan and McDonald claimed that the Speed Policy highlights the vertical alignment of a road as a primary consideration in setting a speed limit. "The County’s Transportation Services department recognizes the poor vertical alignment of the road, particularly at the Church Crest, and has acknowledged that the posted 60 km/hr zone is deficient from a vertical alignment perspective."
In their detailed proposal, the group named many other considerations that support a lowered speed limit, including shared road usage with wide-winged farm equipment and pedestrians, lessened accident liability concerns and a minimal effect on driving time through affected area.
County staff provided rationale for the current speed limits. In their presentation, they compared vehicle-counts-by-speed on Grey Road 31 in the current 80 km/hr zone 2 km west of Rob Roy versus the current 60 km/hr zone at Rob Roy. Their chart indicated that speeds in the 80 km/hr zone closely matched the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) standard for a 80 km/hr zone.
Following the County staff presentation, Council voted to maintain the current limits which purportedly align with MTO standards and County policies.
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