Keeping our community safe with Vision Zero
Guelph, Ont., April 26, 2023 – Vision Zero, a Council-approved outcome of the Transportation Master Plan, guides the City’s plans to design roads and related infrastructure (e.g., traffic calming, signals) to reduce the chance of death or serious injury if a collision happens.
“We’re human and collisions will happen,” says Liraz Fridman, road safety supervisor with the City. “Our goal is to use different tools to encourage drivers to slow down and be aware of their surroundings and of people who are cycling, walking, and wheeling. Every person must do whatever they can to keep our roads safe for themselves and each other.”
Vision Zero in Guelph
The top causes for collisions in Guelph include drivers travelling at high speeds and running red lights. Lower speeds are proven to reduce the seriousness of injuries from a collision and the City is implementing key Vision Zero measures to remind drivers to slow down, including:
Lower speed limits
Speed limits in neighbourhoods and community safety zones across Guelph are being lowered from 50 kilometres per hour (km/hr) to 40 km/hr to ensure drivers slow down and drive safely.
Red light cameras
Drivers who run a red light are more likely to be involved in a collision that results in a severe or fatal injury. Red light cameras encourage drivers to slow down on a yellow signal to give them time to stop on the red signal, which will decrease right-angle collisions and reduce the risk of severe or fatal injuries.
Automated speed enforcement
The provincially regulated automatic speed enforcement program uses a camera and speed measurement device to enforce speed limits in school area community safety zones. If a driver exceeds the speed limit in these areas, the registered owner of the vehicle will be automatically ticketed while cameras are in use.
Beginning August 1, 2023, four automated speed enforcement cameras will rotate around 16 different locations across Guelph every three months starting with:
- Westwood Road, in front of Westwood Road Public School
- Colonial Drive, in front of St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School
- Metcalfe Street, in front of King George Public School
- Ironwood Drive, in front of Fred A. Hamilton Public School
3,580 red light violations in 2022
Tickets for 3,580 red light violations were issued in 2022, resulting in revenues of $264,885. Collected revenues from red light and coming speed enforcement cameras are reinvested into road safety planning and improvements that help keep people in Guelph safe.
Updated road safety data coming in July
The City’s road safety dashboard shares collision data collected over a five-year period along with information about road safety initiatives across Guelph. Staff uses the data to determine what, if any, safety measures can be put in place in areas where collisions happen, to deliver on the City’s commitment to Vision Zero and improve road safety for all. The next collision report will be published in July 2023 and staff anticipates the data to show a reduction in angled collisions, especially at intersections with red light cameras.
Safe streets save lives
Becoming a Vision Zero community is a collective effort—the City, drivers, pedestrians and cyclists must each do their part so everyone feels safe walking, jogging, wheeling and riding their bikes through all corners of our city.
For more information, visit guelph.ca/visionzero.
Media contact
Liraz Fridman, Road Safety Supervisor, Transportation Services
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3620
[email protected]