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Traffic Calming

Keeping Ajax streets safe is a priority for the Town’s Engineering staff and using measures to "calm" the traffic is one way of achieving this.

Traffic calming is a term used to describe a combination of mostly physical features that are intended to reduce vehicle speeds, alter driver behaviour and improve safety conditions for everyone who uses the street.

Some of the most common types of traffic calming measures are:

  • speed humps
  • raised intersections
  • raised crosswalks
  • chicanes
  • roundabout
  • median islands
  • contrasting surfaces
  • intersection bump outs
  • mid-block bump outs

Speeding and traffic volume are among the most common complaints received by Council members and Town staff. Often staff are asked to install all-way stops or speed humps. In some cases, these are appropriate - but not always. The Town has a set of criteria and a process for these requests.

New development areas

New neighbourhood developers are now required to prepare a traffic management plan before they receive draft plan approval. This means the developers must anticipate traffic and speeding problems on the roads before the roads are even built. This is a relatively new requirement for builders in Ajax.

Traffic Management of Development - A Review Process
can be reviewed in PDF format. (31 pages)

Existing neighbourhoods

An environmental assessment which involves extensive public consultation is required in order to install or remove traffic calming on Town owned roads. Traffic calming is often controversial: while it reduces speeding, sometimes residents dislike having it on their streets. Some people feel they may cause damage to vehicles, and they may also slow emergency response times. Although there are guides available there are no provincial standards for their design and use, so they must be carefully assessed.

Currently the only speed humps in Ajax are on Centennial Road along the north of Ajax Community Centre (sample below). Others are expected to be installed on Pembry Drive following an extensive public consultation process.  


 Picture of a Speed Hump
 
Chicanes are narrowing of the roadway as shown below. These exist on Greenhalf Drive and Hirons Drive, within the Carruthers Creek development. 
 
 Picture of a chicane.
 
For more information on traffic calming, please contact your local council member or Angela Gibson at 905-619-2529 ext. 209.