Individuals residing alongside one of many Ottawa’s busiest streets say drivers are solely getting sooner now that Ontario has scrapped velocity cameras provincewide. “I think the effect was almost immediate really,” stated Josiah Frith, chair of the Lowertown Group Affiliation’s transportation committee. “It even happened before the cameras were taken down. People started behaving as though the tickets that were written would probably not be admissible.” In 2024, the velocity digital camera on King Edward Avenue led the town with 59,656 violations. As of November this yr, metropolis information exhibits it had already recorded 33,144 violations, once more leading the town. Nonetheless, Frith says when the cameras have been in place, speeds alongside King Edward — even when they have been above the restrict — have been far more constant. Only a few individuals driving down King Edward really stay within the space, he stated, however their excessive speeds pose risks for individuals on the sidewalks and in their very own houses. “When you’re going fast — and if you’re going in the outside lanes — there’s a rumble in your house,” stated Sandra Milton, who co-chairs the affiliation’s security and safety committee. A lot of the site visitors alongside King Edward owes to the very fact it is an interprovincial route, notably for big vans who cross the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge as they journey to and from Quebec. WATCH | ‘It is the everlasting battle in my space,’ metropolis councillor says: King Edward Avenue residents say drivers have gotten extra harmful with out velocity cameras Residents alongside certainly one of Ottawa’s busiest streets say drivers are solely going sooner, one month after Ontario formally scrapped velocity cameras provincewide. In 2024, the velocity digital camera on King Edward Avenue led the town with 59,656 violations.
Pace bumps ‘not really helpful’
Previous to the elimination of velocity cameras provincewide in November, Premier Doug Ford stated they did little to entice drivers to decelerate. Of their place, Ford proposed velocity bumps, roundabouts and flashing indicators, measures he stated have been more practical in imposing velocity limits. But, Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante says the measures wouldn’t be efficient alongside an artery that is as busy or huge as King Edward Avenue. “So on arterial routes, it’s not recommended that you put speed bumps because they are used by emergency service workers to access communities,” Plante stated. “I would never want anyone to be delayed or not have access to an ambulance simply because we had to put a speed bump in.” This pole on the nook of King Edward Avenue and Bruyere Avenue as soon as held the velocity digital camera that topped all metropolis cameras for dashing violations in 2024 and 2025. (Liam Baker/CBC) In September, whereas campaigning for laws to take away the cameras, Ford stated the gadgets have been little greater than a “cash grab.” Nevertheless, Frith argues that the cash collected from the cameras really helped enhance infrastructure within the space. “The maintenance of this road comes out of the budget for our ward, one of the most financially strapped wards in the city,” he stated. “The cameras were helping to start funding some of the repairs, some of the design changes that we were looking to do on King Edward to return this to a residential neighbourhood.” Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante says residents in her ward are planning to carry ‘velocity digital camera events’ to disgrace drivers who do not obey velocity limits alongside King Edward Avenue. (Jean Delisle/CBC)Dashing drivers can be booed
Given the street’s use as an interprovincial route, Frith and Milton say their transportation committee has requested the town to contemplate handing over administration of King Edward to the federal authorities, in addition to getting an exemption from the provincial velocity digital camera ban. Within the meantime, Plante says the town is anticipating some funding from the province towards velocity abatement measures, although it is nonetheless unclear precisely what they are going to be. Residents are additionally planning group initiatives geared toward lead-footed drivers, she stated, together with a “speed camera party” the place they’re going to use handheld gadgets and can “boo” any drivers exceeding the velocity restrict. Whereas Frith and Milton say extra particulars are to return on the place and when the events will occur, Plante says she’ll undoubtedly be in attendance. “I’ll completely be becoming a member of them.”Supply hyperlink
