‘It’s not a significant change’: Airdrie mayor praises proposed 30 km/h speed limit in Calgary

Is Calgary ready to take it slow?

Several councillors are supporting a motion at City Hall Monday to lower speed limits in certain residential areas to 30km/h.

Airdrie already did it in the 1980s.

Mayor Peter Brown said it’s made a big difference in the number of crashes involving both vehicles and pedestrians.

“We rarely receive calls anymore about speed, I mean, the vast majority of people whether it’s a posted speed limit on a freeway or any other road. They do a little bit over the speed limit. So, you know 30 is 35 or 36,” he said.

“When you’re talking 50 (km/h) which is what Calgary’s moving from, people can go upwards of 60 km/h or more, it’s significantly (more) drastic when you look at fatality rates and injury drops significantly at 30 (km/h).”

He said it adds 30 or 40 seconds to your journey tops, depending on the street.

“It’s not a significant change. It just makes sense. I’m really happy that Calgary’s moving this way,” Brown said.

CityNews asked Calgarians what they thought of the idea.

“I think if there’s anything involving children or the elderly, I think it’s safer to go slower, just for their safety — and our safety too,” one woman said.

“It doesn’t make any sense at all. I mean, do you have to change the signs,” another man said. “It’s just make work and things like that. Don’t we have more important issues in this town?”

Brown said he’s sure there will be some resistance because drivers are used to doing things a certain way.

“But at the end of the day, safety is the most paramount in any community,” he said.