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12 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 16, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Made-in-Oakville design could slow down speeders By Kim Arnott SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER All electrical contracting businesses now require a provincial licence from the Electrical Contractor Registration Agency of the Electrical Safety Authority to operate in Ontario. Before you hire an electrician or electrical contractor, check to see that they have an Electrical Contractor's Licence. It's not just a precaution. It's the law. For a list of Licensed Electrical Contractors in Ontario, visit www.pluginsafely.ca A message from Ontario's Licensed Electrical Contractors and the Electrical Safety Authority 1-877-ESA-SAFE (372-7233) A made-in-Oakville design to combine traffic cushions and medians has promise for reducing speeding on residential streets. Vehicle speeds dropped by about 30 km/h on three streets following the installation of the physical traffic-calming measures, according to Oakville traffic staff. In August, the measures were installed on Maple Grove Drive, Morden Road and Sewell Drive. Beforehand, drivers were travelling between 53 and 65 km/h on the roads, which are all posted with 40 km/h speed limits. The installation of a series of speed cushions ­ small, removable speed humps ­ on either side of a mountable median with rubber bollards, resulted in speeds dropping to between 27 and 34 km/h. The devices are proving to be "very effective" at slowing down drivers, said Scott McMillan, manager of traffic engineering. His department has been developing physical traffic calming measures for several years. "We were interested in finding a device that was effective in deterring speeding, but acceptable to all users," said McMillan. Traditional asphalt speed humps, installed on Chartwell Road, were effective at slowing traffic, but caused too many difficulties for emergency vehicles. Other communities have used the hard rubber speed cushions to replace speed humps, placing one in each lane, and a third in the middle of the road to discourage drivers from steering around them. However, consultation with Oakville's emergency services, and the public, led the town to experiment with a different solution. The installations on Morden, Maple Grove and Sewell feature a speed cushion in each lane, with a mountable median between them. The slightly-raised median features reflective, flexible bollards ­ or sticks ­ on either end. The bollards are designed to provide a visual deterrent to drivers who might otherwise consider veering onto the median to avoid the speed cushions. However, emergency vehicles can drive safely over them without damaging their vehicles. The speed cushions, worth about $1,000 each, will be removed in winter to avoid damage from snowplows. Although the new devices are being enthusiastically endorsed by town staff, residents on two town streets say they would prefer additional stop signs instead. Over the summer, residents along Hixon and Grosvenor Streets expressed concern about the appearance and effectiveness of the new measures, and asked the town to install several all-way stops as an alternative. Although stop signs are often seen as desirable by residents, town traffic staff consistently recommend against using them in an attempt to control speed. "It invites disrespect of the device and non-compliance," McMillan told the town's Community Services committee. He said studies have shown when stop signs are introduced at intersections that don't have traffic or circumstance to justify them, drivers tend to disregard them. That can pose pedestrian danger for those who believe they can safely cross a road, and increases likelihood of collisions, he noted. 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