ATHABASCA – Studies showing the safety benefits lowering the speed on town roads could bring failed to sway local residents who voted overwhelmingly to keep speed limits as they are.
During the Nov. 19 Town of Athabasca council meeting, councillors voted 6-0— Coun. Jon LeMessurier was absent — in favour of a motion keeping the town’s speed limits unchanged after they saw the results of a speed survey conducted by the administration.
Locals were given three options: keep the limits the same, change the speed limit to 40 km/h, or keep major roads the same, while reducing the rest to 40 km/h. Out of the 652 respondents, 563 (87 per cent) said the current speed limits should remain in place.
“That’s a pretty overwhelming majority,” said Coun. Dave Pacholok, who also praised the turnout. A recent Athabasca County budget survey drew in less than 60 responses, so the town was happy with the participation.
Thirty-one respondents (four per cent) wanted to change the limit to 40 km/h, excluding highways, and 58 people (nine per cent) wanted to change the limit to 40, except for Canyon Road, Industrial Road, Old Colinton Highway, Tower Road, University Drive, Wood Heights Road, and the highways.
Councillors had discussed potential changes to the speed limit throughout the summer, after LeMessurier brought a University of Alberta study in for his fellow councillors to review.
“The study I showed (highlighted) the benefit of reducing speed from 50 to 40. We haven’t had a collision in a long time, but this is an opportunity to be proactive,” said LeMessurier during the Sept. 17 meeting. “Everyone in town deserves to be safe.”
A Sept. 17 motion to reduce the speed limit was defeated in a 3-2 split vote, with Mayor Rob Balay and councillors Darlene Reimer and Edie Yuill favouring the status quo. Councillors Sara Graling and Pacholok were absent.
“I talked to Councillor LeMessurier today and he had his tail between his legs,” said a chuckling Balay after he saw the survey results.
The summertime discussions around how fast was too fast weren’t the first for this council. At the June 9, 2022 council meeting, the same council voted 5-2 against a reduction, with former councillor Loretta Prosser and Ida Edwards voting in favour at the time.
“Reducing the speed limit reduces drivers’ speeds by about 25 per cent. So, that means if you're going to go from 50 to 30, in reality, drivers are only going to slow down five miles per hour because of their habits, even though it's posted, and you enforce it,” said Balay back in 2022.
Councillors did not address the speed limit near the Athabasca Regional Multiplex after postponing further discussion on the issue until the survey results were back. The 30 km/h sign at the top of the hill on University Drive was noted as an area that needed more focus by Yuill at a fall meeting.
