North Grenville is moving ahead with a gateway signage project for the Municipality’s urban residential areas. The project will see gateway signage installed in the eQuinelle subdivision, Tempo subdivision, and Old Town Kemptville area from County Road 43 to Concession Road, and from County Road 19 to Somerville Road/Hurd Street. This means that, in these areas, the speed limit will be 40km/h and will be enforced as such.
This is the continuation of a pilot project that was conducted last year on a smaller footprint in the Municipality’s downtown core. This may be just the first phase of the implementation of gateway signage throughout the Municipality’s residential areas. At a recent council meeting, Mayor Nancy Peckford asked Director of Public Works Karen Dunlop whether the project was being considered for the rural hamlets as well. “Have we addressed, or thought about, how we could be inclusive of rural hamlets moving forward?” she asked. Director Dunlop replied that, in order to implement gateway signage in the rural hamlets, some discussion would have to take place with the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, as many roads in those footprints are County Roads, which are designated 50km/hr. The Municipality does not have the authority to change speed limits on these roads without County approval. “It is something we will have to look to in the future,” Karen said.
Councillor Kristin Strackerjan believes that it is a positive sign to see this project come into effect. “I am curious to see how effective it is,” she said. “Hopefully, the consistency will encourage people to stick with one speed limit.”
Mayor Peckford did note that she does not want to make anyone feel left out of the project. Director Dunlop said that they have received complaints from residents in the Stonehaven subdivision about speeding, and Mayor Peckford mentioned that Settlers Grant may have similar concerns. “It’s important to signal that the dialogue will continue in terms of other efforts we can make to moderate or reduce speed,” she said.
The bylaw to implement the gateway signage project was passed at the council meeting on June 16, but will not be enforced until speed signs can be installed in the designated areas. Director Dunlop says they hope to have them in place in about a month.