While virtually all Town-maintained roads in Bracebridge are now set to a 40 km/ hr speed limit, a motion put forward by the Bracebridge general committee last week will ask the District to take a closer look at the speed limits on District-maintained roads.
Specifically, on the committee voted that, as part of the development of their Transportation Master Plan, the District should undertake a speed limit analysis on the District Road System within the geographical area of the Town of Bracebridge.
Coun. Brenda Rhodes said she’s heard concerns from Bracebridge residents over the speed vehicles travel on District roads.
Coun. Don Smith pointed out the motion came without any background information or a staff report, and questioned the implications supporting the motion. He said creating such a report would likely have significant staffing and cost ramifications.
Staff said the study would not cost the Town anything as the District is currently in the midst of a traffic study which could incorporate the Bracebridge roads.
In December 2023 the Bracebridge general committee agreed to change speed limits across the municipality to 40 km/hr.
While that limit controls virtually all of the Town-maintained roads, it leaves out several key District-maintained roads such as Manitoba Street, Taylor Road, Hwy 118 and Cedar Lane.
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Studies only give all the known positives and negatives if they are done properly and without bias or direction given by…. say a hospital board or council. If a board of directors or council hires a consultant and tells the consultant the outcome they want then that does not always serve the majority. For example. If major non emergency decisions like the way our hospitals will be redeveloped had been voted on by the public I suspect a different outcome would have been arrived at.
Studies give all the known positives and negatives! Do we want change that will impact our town negatively and upset maybe the majority. We elect our council to do what is best for our town, not some minority crying they want it their way.! If this is how they decide the majority of changes, sticking to that way will assure us a growing healthy community!
Studies? How much money is spent by municipal councils on studies and consulting fees? Every now and then our elected reps should make a decision using their own judgement without have a study or a consultant to justify a decision. How much money did the district spend on a study to see if right turn only rules would make it safer at Canadian Tire./ Macdonalds in Bracebridge? Some decisions like building a new arena and library could have been made by the voting public if a question had been added to the ballots when we voted. Are you in favour of building a new arena and library? yes or no. Are you in favour of a 40 km speed limit in town. yes or no. Are you in favour of spending a ridiculous amount of money on a gazebo in Memorial Park? yes or no. Get the idea? If the public voted on issues like this that are NOT an emergency situation then the council would know what the citizens want…….and it would be democratic.
So instead of a proper studies, changes can be made by gossip spread by Coun. Brenda Rhodes ? Not sure that is democratic.