This week I addressed the Transportation Standing Committee at city hall regarding my concerns about the Road Safety Strategy 2024. This Strategy was proposed to replace the Strategic Road Safety Plan 2018-2023. Five members of the public attended the meeting to offer comments and proposed amendments on the Strategy.
Here is the link to the meeting video recording; my comments begin at 26:05. Speakers are given 5 minutes.
“Thank you to the chair, members of the TSC & to staff for welcoming me to speak today about the Road Safety Strategy.
My perspective is one of a local driver, a transit user, a cyclist, a pedestrian and a parent of 3. I’ve also had the privilege of living in and travelling to places that provide space for alternative forms of transportation. I am also a candidate for councillor in District 7. Please join me in imagining infrastructure that keeps us safe and adds joy to our lives.
I see many good things in this proposed document. I imagine that you are all on this committee or work in transportation because you want to improve lives.
I’ll start with a little story about my observations during a recent commute home from work via bike, that highlights our current reality.
As I crossed Robie Street via the North Common, I saw a pedestrian leap out of the way as a driver charged through the crosswalk.
Moments later, I witnessed a driver go the wrong way down Quingate and then drive over the median to avoid an oncoming cyclist.
Finally, I saw several drivers aggressively turn right both onto Quinpool and Quingate while pedestrians were crossing this very wide crosswalk. Several of these people had limited mobility.
Unfortunately, these stories are not unusual.
Regarding the Strategy and my comments, here is an abbreviated version of my concerns as expressed in my email of June 7th.
1) First, I believe we should track injuries both in terms of absolute numbers and per capita numbers. Per capita reporting distracts us from the truth of what is happening on our roads and feels disrespectful to those injured.
2) Second, regarding Safe Vehicles: there is no mention of the size and weight of vehicles on our roads. Large vehicles make collisions with vulnerable road users both more likely and more dangerous.
I know that other levels of government need to be involved to fix this.
3) Third, In the Safe Road Users section – I believe it should be stressed that drivers have the ultimate responsibility when it comes to the safety of all road users.
4) Fourth, In the Safe Roads section – There is no mention of trying to reduce the amount of vehicular traffic on our roads.
The only way to reduce hazards is to remove them, or to create barriers between us and them.
The goal of reducing the number of vehicle trips taken should be clearly stated in the new strategy.
5) My fifth point is Regarding Safe Speeds: over time, we need to change the design of some roads to a 30 km/h speed limit.
We need to eliminate straight road stretches with obstacles on either side, like bike storage, parkettes, bollards, cycle path curbs, chicanes, strategic parking, et cetera.
Case in point is Spring Garden Road between Robie and South Park. While canvassing this neighborhood, so many people tell me that Spring Garden is being used as a drag strip. Drivers are speeding down this section of road with extra-loud vehicles. And guess what, those two blocks are excessively wide.
6) Finally, for the Safe Land Use Planning section:
The HRM Charter states “In so far as is consistent with their use by the public, the Council has full control over the streets in the Municipality.”
What this says to me is that HRM is able to allocate space on our roads not only to vehicles, but to countless other modes of transportation.
Let’s focus on how to move people rather than vehicles.
Cities around the world such as London, Paris and Montreal are quickly changing how they allocate road space. We need to get on board and perform a real transformation of our system, in collaboration with the province and their JRTA.
In closing I would like to recommend a book that makes the case for equitable and dignified cities: “Curbing Traffic, The Human Case for Fewer Cars in our Lives”, was written by Canadians Chris & Melissa Bruntlett. They are also active on social media, if you’d like to check out their inclusive ideas online.
Thank you for listening!”