Speed limit reductions coming across Cambridge

Cambridge city councillors have unanimously approved a plan to drop speed limits in residential areas and school zones across the city.

The change will see the speed limit on neighbourhood streets reduced from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. In schools zones, it will go from 40 km/h to 30 km/h.

The measure is meant to encourage safer neighbourhoods and reduce collisions.

The city asked residents whether they support the idea of reducing speed limits. Out of 123 respondents, 67 per cent said ‘yes.’

Cambridge mother of five Katie Beacock says the change is long overdue.

“People run the stop sign all the time at any time,” Beacock told CTV News. “Eight o’clock in the morning, we come up to the bus stop and sometimes there’s cops posted up at the school. It’s crazy.

"I think people might pay more attention. I think it’s a good idea."

A pilot project conducted in the summer of 2021 saw residential speed limits dropped to 40 km/h on 35 road segments in four test areas in Cambridge.

A before and after analysis found drivers reduced their speeds by 1.1 per cent to 5.1 per cent in the test areas.

The new speed limits will be phased in over two years with school zones being the top priority.

The estimated cost of new signage and communication to inform residents of the change is $535,000.

PUSH FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS IN CAMBRIDGE

Cambridge city councillor Scott Hamilton also introduced a motion at the Tuesday night meeting to see about getting more electric vehicle chargers.

Coun. Hamilton asked staff to examine the possibility of mandating all new developments, retail locations, and city parking lots have a certain number of electric vehicle charging stations.

The motion is expected to be discussed by council at the April 11 meeting.