City to review the possibility of speed boards in high ticket areas

Source: Scott Andersson/CTV News

WINNIPEG -

The standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works will review information from the Winnipeg Public Service about speed boards at some of the most speed infraction areas in the city.

Back on April 20, 2021, the committee directed the Public Service to provide information about speed boards as well as speed limit fine signage when entering the city. This direction came after a recommendation from the East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee.

The Public Service had 120 days to provide information.

Following the period, the Public Service identified the 10 areas with the highest photo enforcement infraction rates using data from the Winnipeg Police Service in 2020.

It found the areas aren't necessarily places with the highest safety concerns, but where the most photo radar or safety cameras were used to give out tickets.

The 10 areas include:

· Northbound Panet Road north of Munrow Avenue;

· Westbound Murray Avenue west of Donan Street;

· Eastbound Disraeli Freeway east of Lily Street;

· Southbound St. Anne's Road south of Warde Avenue;

· Eastbound Talbot Avenue east of Watt Street;

· Westbound Talbot Avenue west of Gateway Road;

· Northbound St. Anne's Road north of Aldgate Road;

· Northbound Dalhousie Drive north of Rutgers Bay;

· Southbound Tim Sale Drive south of Waverley Street; and

· Southbound Bairdmore Boulevard south of Kirkbridge Drive.

The data showed Northbound Panet Road was ranked number one on the list for the most tickets issued per hour at 12.84 and 3,742 tickets were issued in 2020.

The Public Service also found another list of the top 10 areas with the most enforcement hours and it found that the infraction rates list gave better information on speed boards.

The city will soon be testing four speed boards as part of a three-year loan with Manitoba Public Insurance and they will be installed in the fall of 2021. Depending on the performance of the boards, the committee said more speed boards could be primed for installation in the future.

The Public Service is also not recommending the city spend money on speed fine signs at all entrances to the city.

The main reasons for not recommending these signs are the speed fines are the same throughout Manitoba and don't change when coming into Winnipeg, speed fine amounts could change and the signs would need to be constantly updated to be accurate, and the signs would only provide partial information.