All Sections All Sections Winnipeg Free Press Subscribe
Articles Read Your Balance +tax

February 24, 2021

Winnipeg
-8° C, Partly cloudy

Full Forecast

Contact Us Subscribe Manage Subscription Chat with us
Log in Create Free Account Help Chat with us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • My Account
    • Manage my Subscription
    • Change Password

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
    • Log in
    • Create Free Account
    • Help

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
  • Coronavirus Coverage
  • Replica E-Edition
    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times
  • Above the Fold
  • Front page
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Book Club
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Canada
  • Local
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • World
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Archives
  • Canstar Community News
    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Classifieds
  • Contests
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • Sponsored
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Flyers
  • Homes
    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Puzzles
  • Photostore
  • More

©2021 FP Newspaper Inc.

Close
  • Quick Links

    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • Above the Fold
    • Home
    • Local
    • Canada
    • World
    • Classifieds
    • Special Coverage
    • Flyers
    • Newsletters
    • Obituaries
    • Photostore
    • Archives
    • Contests
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Content
    • Privacy Policy

    Ways to support us

    • Pay it Forward program
    • Subscribe
    • Day Pass
    • Read Now Pay later
  • Replica E-Edition

    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times

    Business

    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Arts & Life

    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Sports

    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • Opinion

    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor

    Media

    • All Media
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos

    Homes

    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Canstar Community News

    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Coupons

    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • About Us

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
Canstar Community News
  • The Herald
  • The Lance
  • The Sou'wester
  • The Metro
  • The Times
  • The Headliner
  • Sports
  • Correspondents
  • Columns
  • Contact Us
  • Publications
  • Building Unity: Our Community Centres

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Lower speed limits make streets safer

Vivian Santos By: Vivian Santos - Point Douglas city councillor ward report
Posted: 10:17 AM CDT Monday, Jul. 29, 2019

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/7/2019 (576 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I am often reminded of the fact that I will be turning 40 years old next year. The older I get, the more I think about the kind of legacy I want to leave behind. 
I am often reminded of the fact that I will be turning 40 years old next year. The older I get, the more I think about the kind of legacy I want to leave behind. 

As I’ve started my second career as a city councillor, I often ponder the question — what can I do to make a difference? For me, the answer I keep coming back to is to make the future of my children, my family and Winnipeggers better and safer. 

One of the most pressing issues we face in Winnipeg is that we have children, pedestrians and cyclists being involved in vehicle collisions and some are dying from their injuries.

Every day, I am reminded of the four-year-old girl who was struck by a vehicle and later died of her injuries in the hospital. Every day, I am reminded of when me and previous city councillor Mike Pagtakhan advocated for better safety measures at the pedestrian crosswalk at Isabel Street at Ross Avenue.

Every day, I ask myself if that four-year-old girl would be alive today if there was a traffic light at that intersection. Every day, when I look at my two children (six and nine years old), I can’t imagine a vehicle hitting them while they are walking or cycling to school or the local playground.

Right now, I find myself urging the chairman of infrastructure renewal and public works and the city’s public service to make better road safety initiatives a top priority. 

I have called for another traffic study to be conducted along Isabel Street and asked, again, for traffic lights to be installed. The traffic control report of the public service concurred with the recommendation of the infrastructure renewal and public works committee and will be installing traffic lights before school is back in session this September. 

While I am happy with the report and support it, we cannot continue to be reactive to situations like these anymore. Too many lives have been lost. 

We must instead be proactive by starting to implement better road safety strategies/policies like curb bumps, red lights at pedestrian crossings instead of amber, and most of all a city-wide speed limit of 40 km/h on residential streets. 

I know this is a controversial issue. Everyone’s time is valuable and getting where we need to go as quickly as possible isn’t something that I discount. But I believe the safety of our children and our families are invaluable. 

I believe the key to this issue is road safety education. The idea behind lowering the speed limit is not about inconveniencing anyone. This is an opportunity to be proactive in keeping Winnipeggers alive and able to survive a collision. 

In the event that someone breaks a traffic law, I ask you this simple question:

Stay informed

The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19.

Subscribe to COVID-19 Briefing
Sign Up

Would you rather have a 75 or 45 per cent chance of surviving any injuries?

Not only do I see the direct safety possibilities in these statistics, but I also believe lowering speed limits on residential streets will reduce drivers "cutting through" our neighbourhoods. 

Lower speed limits enhance safety for all road users, as they make traffic more predictable. I encourage you to read more on how experts make these kinds of decisions in Manitoba Infrastructure’s Guide for Setting Speed Limits available here: www.gov.mb.ca/mit/traffic/pdf/speed/guide.pdf. 

I believe when the facts are presented as I have done here, most people will see the benefits in lowered speed limits.  

I am more than happy to continue to hear your feedback and comments. 

You can send me an email vsantos@winnipeg.ca as I know you care about Winnipeg as much as I do.

Vivian Santos

Vivian Santos
Point Douglas ward report

Vivian Santos is city councillor for Point Douglas.

   Read full biography

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

  • Report Error
  • Submit a Tip
  • Refund

The Winnipeg Free Press invites you to share your opinion on this story in a letter to the editor. A selection of letters to the editor are published daily.

To submit a letter:
• fill out the form on this page, or
• email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or
• mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters are edited for length and clarity.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Top