The speed limit on Highway 35 doesn’t need to be changed according to the Ministry of Transportation.
According to an analysis done by the ministry, the speed limit on Highway 35 between Water Street and Bobcaygeon Road is just fine the way it is. Minden Hills Roads Superintendent, Travis Wilson, met with Minden Hills Council last week to go over the findings of the ministry. MTO was responding to a request from the township to reduce the speed on that stretch of road.
In an email sent to Wilson from MTO’s Glenn Craft, the MTO suggested that the ministry decides the speed of a road based on a number of factors including the 85th percentile, which means the speed that 85 per cent of drivers travel at, the number of lanes, the condition of the shoulders, road grades, developments on the side of the road, and line of sight.
As well, Craft explains the MTO also looks at traffic volumes, commercial vehicle use and any potential pedestrian conflicts.
Craft detailed in the email that the 85th percentile travelled at 81KM/h. He goes on to say that the 70KM/H posted speed limit is ideal. Craft says “Speed limits are intended to supplement motorists’ judgment in determining speeds that are safe, reasonable and proper for particular roadway conditions. If drivers do not consider a speed limit to be reasonable, the limit will be disobeyed and lose much of its value.”
Craft emphasized that in the MTO’s experience, “unwarranted” speed limit changes have little impact in changing how fast drivers go.