The Halifax Traffic Authority announced recently it approved speed bumps in several community residential streets in Fall River and Windsor Junction, along with other areas in HRM.
The news was meant with a mixture of good and bad from residents on it, and some wondering why they weren’t included in the initial roll-out. If the program is deemed successful, then there is an opportunity to expand to other streets, to those in Wellington, in Schwarztwald, in St. Andrews or Fall River Village.
However, along with the good comes the bad. Some see this as nothing more than helping get the speed down something a development the community has been against needs.
The Ingram Drive development—which is still being considered by the developer with changes but has yet to come back to council— could benefit from the speed bumps.
It remains to be seen whether that is what happens, but several residents feel that the speed bumps installation are simply to ease the passing of the future development that no one wants, and thus these will help the developers achieve that goal.
Then there’s the response form our firefighters, police, and EHS. These speed bumps will slow their response quite a bit—10-15 seconds each speed bump. So when seconds count, their time will be spent trying to get over the speed bumps.
Is the speeding issue on some of these streets something that people/residents are willing to put the response from our emergency responders on the back burner and are okay with a delay? I know if my loved one was having a cardiac arrest or trouble breathing I’d like them there as fast as they can be, not impeded by any speed bumps or delays that could impact whether my loved one survives.
And then there’s people saying it’s the fault of the police. As Councillor Streatch told me, police can’;t be everywhere even with several new recruits paid for in the recent budget. They are still stretched thin.
Speeding is a definite concern and safety issue for those in our residential subdivisions. I’m just not sure what the clear solution is. Whether speed bumps are that solution remains to be seen.
- Pat Healey
