Speed limit on 11th dropping to 60
By Bill Rea

King's 11th Concession has developed a reputation of being something of a speedway, but speeds are going to soon drop.

Township councillors discussed the issue at length last Monday, and finally agreed the speed limit should be a consistent 60 km-h from King Road to Highway 9.

There have been numerous residents of the road who raised concerns about the traffic situation. Andrea Duffy and Dwight Gomes were the latest ones, sending a letter to council requesting the speed limit for the entire stretch be consistently set at 60.

The entire stretch of road has been paved in the last few years, and their letter stated that has resulted in motorists using the road as an alternative to Highway 27.

Speed is one of the issues they raised, pointing out the limit was 80 km-h on the small stretch outside their home (between the 17th and 18th Sideroads), located over the bend of a hill with a hidden driveway. They stated there is a "hidden entrance" sign posted about 100 metres away, which they said is "largely ignored."

"In addition to the risk to human life posed by this situation, the high speed zone on our portion of the 11th concession has resulted us finding countless slaughtered wildlife on the side of the road bordering our property, from a beautiful fawn deer to wild turkey and a whole range of rodents, etc."

Although they were requesting the speed limit be set at 60 for the whole road, Duffy and Gomes asked it be at least at that level on "the dangerous portions of the road north of the 17th Sideroad."

"We strongly believe this action is required in order to put an end to the increasingly dangerous driving we are witnessing on our road, which seems to be increasing exponentially with each passing month," they wrote.

They also expressed concerns about traffic volumes on the road, especially from people who don't live in King. One day late in May, they counted 15 trips by 18-wheelers (all owned by the same company) going by their house. They added they followed one of these trucks heading north, stating that trip neither started or ended in King. They added this type of traffic is increasing as more people view the 11th as an alternative to Highway 27.

The Township staff report suggested a consistent speed limit of 70 km-h., dropping to 50 through a gentle chicane just south of the 15th Sideroad.

They also identified the 11th as "one of the high traffic volume roads within the Township of King," adding the road is used by numerous school buses too. The current speed limits alternate between 60 and 80, with the 50 km-h limit in effect at the chicane. Staff agreed a more consistent speed would improve traffic flows and could increase driver awareness of what the speed limit actually is.

That wasn't good enough for Councillor Linda Pabst. She pointed out this has been an issue for many years, also observing the road runs through an agricultural area with farm vehicles and hay wagons using it.

She was adamant that the limit should be 60.

"If it causes any problems, I'll eat my shirt and put it back to 70," she said.

Councillor Cleve Mortelliti agreed. He said he had driven the road the previous weekend, noting the changing conditions as one progresses. At the north section, near Highway 9, "you could launch a Cessna off there," he observed. The road eventually develops rolling terrain, and he said there are a number of yellow caution signs.

Mortelliti said he tries to drive at an "intuitive pace," agreeing at 60 km-h was appropriate.

Councillor Jeff Laidlaw wasn't prepared to argue the point, but he said he didn't want to see limits set and then changed later on. "I hate playing this flip-flop game with the speed limits," he declared.

Director of Operations Jody LaPlante stressed the need for setting speed limits that are realistic. Putting them too low could create safety problems of their own. He said the speed limit on the 16th Sideroad was lowered to 40, and speeds there increased.

LaPlante is working on a comprehensive report on speed limits throughout the township, and Mayor Margaret Black suggested referring the issue to him. She had her doubts about cutting the limits to 60. "It's not going to be enforceable," she declared.

But Pabst didn't want to wait, arguing all roads are different and she was trying to answer concerns about just one. "These people have waited a long time for this," she said.