New 40 km/hr speed limit signs coming to select neighbourhoods

A phased plan to drop speed limits to 40 km/hr on all of the city's residential streets will begin with signs going up in select areas of Galt, Preston and Hespeler later this month.

City staff has worked out a four phase implementation plan that will start this spring and conclude in the fall of 2025 at a total cost of $589,400, including the installation of 1,500 gateway signs, 685 supplemental signs, and a strategy to communicate the change to residents.

City council approved the move in the spring of 2023 following a successful two-year pilot project in four neighbourhoods where speeding was a top concern.

It includes a plan to drop the speed limit to 30 km/hr in 40 school zones where the Region of Waterloo plans to gradually introduce automated speed enforcement cameras through 2028.

Four new ASE cameras will be installed this year in Cambridge.

Waterloo Regional Police Service has also committed to working with the city to enforce the new limit in problem areas.

The new signs will be posted in 35 areas and sub areas, shown on this map with the first phase identified in green.

The neighbourhoods are mostly bounded by major collector roads and regional roads.

The old signs will be removed and new signs posted at gateway locations on the perimeters of 16 distinct neighbourhood areas with additional signage posted within each area. 

The change won't apply to regional roads, not only because they're not owned by the city, but because they're considered arterial roads vital to transit and the movement of goods for business.

The focus for the city's project will be the residential road network, which is used by a mix of cyclists, seniors and children and may also pass close to parks, community centres, and schools.

The city plans to communicate the changes through media releases, a web banner, social media posts and through the fall/winter edition of the Activities Guide.