Traffic calming is the installation of designed roadway measures to reduce traffic speeds and/or cut-through vehicle volumes, in the interest of road safety, community livability and returning a neighbourhood roadway to its intended function of servicing the community.

Traffic calming may include softer measures such as signage and road markings or hard infrastructure that result in a re-design of the roadway to encourage an adjustment to driver behaviour.

Typical traffic calming measures include, but are not limited to:

1. Vertical deflection: such as speed tables or raised pedestrian crossings that create a “bump” in the roadway to encourage reduced speeds.
2. Horizontal deflection: such as chicanes that create a curvature in the roadway to encourage reduced speeds.
3. Roadway narrowing: such as pedestrian curb extensions (a.k.a. “bulb-outs”) at mid-block crossings or concrete slab-ons at intersections to improve visibility, shorten walk distances and encourage reduced speeds.
4. Road closures: such as diagonal diverters, half closures or full closures that limit driver access to road segments and mitigate shortcutting traffic volumes.
5. Other: such as digital driver feedback signs, regulatory and non-regulatory signage, community gateway features and pavement markings, to name a few.

Stop signs are installed on a case-by-case basis where conditions warrant.

The effectiveness of any traffic calming plan relies on a comprehensive strategy and the combination of a variety of traffic calming measures. It is also highly dependent on your involvement! To find the right solutions, we need to identify the problem. As local residents, your involvement in the process can give us valuable insight into the areas of concern within your community.

Traffic calming is applicable to neighbourhood roadways, including collector and local roads. 

Although the arterial road network will be reviewed in surrounding areas for potential operational improvements, arterial roadways are not candidates for traffic calming measures.

Pending the results of the community’s input, there are options for certain measures to be implemented temporarily prior to permanent installation. This allows for a testing period to gauge community support and further data analysis on the impacts of these measures. Upon recognition of success and support, these measures may be constructed to a permanent state.

The process also allows for community input into requests to remove traffic calming measures; however, it is intended to support community requests and ultimately result in a plan supported by most of the community.

Traffic calming designs can accommodate service vehicles such as emergency service vehicles, transit and waste management with little impact to their operations. 

Each community traffic calming plan will involve collaborative work with City stakeholders from Emergency Services, Transit and Public Works. Information will be shared with the community on estimated impacts of any proposed traffic calming plan for residents to be fully informed during decision-making processes.