Article content“When our plow operators put any downward pressure on these blades and they’re pushing along to get snow off the road. It can cause major problems: We had one guy that had an accident one time, and he never came back to work.”Article content John Phalen, CBRM’s public works director: “Once we get our feet wet on this, we’ll look at all the other jurisdictions out there and see what else people are doing.” Photo by IAN NATHANSON/CAPE BRETON POSTArticle contentPOSSIBLE PILOTSArticle contentPhalen said he is open to the idea, even suggesting a pilot in each of the CBRM’s north, central and east divisions — and in “residential areas where there’s not much traffic,” he told council.Article contentAs this was only in the under-consideration phase, no timelines were offered as to when these pilots would take place. As far as costs go, Phalen said he could likely set up a pilot for about $50,000 to $60,000.Article content“I would target a few areas in the CBRM, probably one in each district, and we’ll try it out,” he told the Post, noting that other than in Membertou, there are no other known roadways in the CBRM that utilize speed humps or bumps.Article contentArticle content“We’ve got the means to do it now, because we’re buying more of these speed-radar signs. All that information is all logged, and we can check every day how many people are going through an area, speeding or whatever.Article content“So my idea — and this is just early thinking — is that I put one of those up ahead of time, and then put the speed calming measures, or whatever it is that we come up with, and then we’ll check to see what kind of impact it has.”Article contentBut Phalen said any plans to establish these projects would be brought before council for formal approval.Article content“We will look at both (speed bumps and speed humps) and what other municipalities are doing, and see what our options are,” he said.Article content Eldon MacDonald, CBRM deputy mayor: “I can see residents calling for every street in the municipality, saying, ‘They got it on the street over there. How come I don’t have it on my street?’” Photo by IAN NATHANSON/CAPE BRETON POSTArticle contentPROVINCE MAY SAY NOArticle contentCouncillors Gillespie and Steve Parsons (District 7), whose jurisdictions cover suburban and rural CBRM, say they are all for the idea of speed humps, whether such districts will be allowed to set up such traffic-calming measures along provincially owned roads might run into a problem.Article contentArticle content“I’ve asked for these (in the past),” he told council. “(But) the province keeps telling me that they’re not allowed to put these on provincial roads.Article contentGillespie echoed Parsons’ sentiments.Article content“I brought this up with (Wayne) MacDonald, when he was director of engineering and public works at the time, and he said he was going to look into it,” Gillespie said. “But the issue I’m going to have with this is the same as councillors Parsons and (Esmond “Blue”) Marshall is that the province of Nova Scotia absolutely refuses to do this.”Article contentPhalen told the Post he’s aware of those concerns but hopes he’ll be able to find a workable solution and bring those ideas back to council.Article content“Once we get our feet wet on this, we’ll look at all the other jurisdictions out there and see what else people are doing,” he said.Article contentWHICH STREETS WOULD GET THESE?Article contentDeputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald said that while he would support a recommendation to look into speed bumps or humps, which residential streets would work for a pilot could pose a problem.
CBRM open to the idea of adding speed humps
