City council asked to reduce speed limit on new transit route

A speed limit reduction is being proposed following concerns that ramped up bus traffic is bringing a higher speed of travel, noise and disruption to Arlington Street.

Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) is calling on city council to reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h on Arlington Street, between Portage and Wolseley avenues.

Gilroy said a new 28 Arlington route was added when Transit implemented a new primary network at the end of June. She said that turned a stretch that previously saw little bus traffic into a key route, adding speed, congestion, noise and vibrations that shake homes.

“A large bus is a change in itself. And a lot of the residents really want the slowing down of the bus to 30 (km/h). They’ve said loud and clear that this is very disrupting,” said Gilroy.

The councillor said active transportation is especially popular in Wolseley and many area kids play on area boulevards, which can make even following the 50 km/h speed limit feel too fast.