Waterloo city councillors voted Monday to reduce speed limits on residential streets.
The change will see limits on residential roads gradually lowered to 30 km/h with some exceptions.
While all councillors agreed to change current speed limits, they were split on how much.
Council ultimately decided on a lower limit than was originally proposed by city staff.
Staff recommended a reduction to 40 km/h on class four and class five residential streets, as well as 30 km/h in school zones.
Ward 2 Coun. Royce Bodaly proposed an amendment for 30 km/h on most residential streets. However, he suggested, the city would allow for exceptions on roads where it makes more sense for it to be 40 km/h such as areas where pedestrian traffic is lower.
"For me personally, whenever I ask people about dropping to 40, when I say ‘what about 30?’ Inevitably the response I get is: 'Even better,'" Bodaly said. "I think the appetite is there."
The motion was passed, but the vote was not unanimous.
"I just think 30 is too inhibiting, too slow," said Ward 3 Coun. Angela Vieth. "I think we can get where we want to go with 40."
The city said more than 1,000 residents responded to a survey which listed different speed limit options.
City staff have been asked to come up with a revised implementation plan for the speed reduction project, taking into consideration what streets might get the higher speed limit of 40 km/h.
The city said the changes will be phased in starting this year, and are expected to be complete by 2025.
Meanwhile in Kitchener, councillors voted in October to reduce the speed in residential neighbourhoods to 40 km/h. That process is expected to take up to three years.
