Lone complaints will no longer be enough to trigger traffic calming investigations in 91原创 City, under a new policy approved by council.

Under the new guideline approved at the June 15 council meeting, at least half the people living in the affected area, or 10 people, whichever is the smaller number, will have to support an investigation.

Once a plan is developed, 50 per cent, or 10, of the residents will have to support it before measures like speed bumps are deployed.

It doesn鈥檛 apply to busy arterial or collector roads.

Rick Bomhof, the City director of engineering, parks and environment, said a lot of staff time is involved when a traffic calming complaint is investigated.

鈥淲e have limited resources,鈥� Bomhof told council.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a list of requests that we have and we can only get to so many.鈥�

A staff report to council noted that minimum thresholds exist in other Lower Mainland communities like Maple Ridge, where the threshold for a traffic calming review is 75 per cent of residents in the affected area, Surrey with 40 per cent or 10 residents, Vancouver with 30 per cent or 12 residents.

As for the Township of 91原创, which does not have a specific number at the moment, the City staff report said the other 91原创 is 鈥渃onsidering an update to their policy to also require a minimum number of residents鈥� support before initiating an investigation.鈥�

READ ALSO: Same crash, different day on 91原创 City street

Most members if council supported the policy change.

Coun. Teri James wanted to know how the boundaries would be set.

鈥淲ho decides that area, city hall?,鈥� James asked Bomhof, who replied that the City would, and people pressing for traffic calming would be told the boundaries.

Coun. Paul Albrecht, called the proposal 鈥渙verdue,鈥� a 鈥渧ery good step鈥� that will add clarity for staff

Coun. Rudy Storteboom said he was proud of the calming measures already takenin the City, even though they can generate complaints.

鈥淚nevitably it boils down to the fact that, well, 鈥榠t slows me down,鈥� Storteboom commented.

鈥淪o, it鈥檚 working.鈥�

When Storteboom asked if the new policy would allow opponents to petition for removal of traffic calming measures, Bomhof replied that it was possible.

Coun. Nathan Pachal felt that was unlikely, given that, in cases of 鈥渙ther traffic calming measures, we鈥檝e received 80 per cent plus support鈥� when thye Cuty has conducted polls.

Pachal called the threshold 鈥漚 fairly low barrier, to get 10 signatures.鈥�

READ ALSO: Curbing speeding in 91原创 City

Mayor Val van den Broek voted against to the new policy, saying it could discourage people from reporting problems.

鈥淚 think its super important that we leave all avenues open,鈥� van den Broek maintained.

鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going in the right direction 鈥� but I think if we limit it to what is being proposed it鈥檚 gong to stop people from reporting what鈥檚 going on.鈥�

鈥淚 have very big reservation that people will not be reporting.鈥�

Councillor Rosemary Wallace asked about calming measures on 200 street near Penzer park.

Because that is an arterial road, it would likely be an enforcement issue, Bomhof replied.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 mean nothing could be done to slow traffic but it would be 鈥� a little more more complicated鈥� than a residential street, Bomhof said.

Bomhof added single complaints will still be recorded.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all logged,鈥� Bomhof noted.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not that we won鈥檛 take the calls.

Setting a threshold, Bomhof said, will allow staff to prioritize complaints.

鈥淚f it [traffic] is truly an issue I would think there would be more than one individual.鈥�

dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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