Speed limit changes in Barrie camera zones during summer may 'force drivers to pay more attention'

School’s out for a summer break from speed cameras, but they’re still ticketing drivers.

As of June 30, about when school ended, the speed limit in Barrie’s two automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras zones increased from 40 to 50 kilometres an hour — where it will stay until Sept. 1, about when classes begin again, and 40 kilometres per hour is once again the speed limit in ASE zones, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

But leadfoots will still be caught by the ASE cameras this summer, even though the speed limit is higher now.

Barrie’s Peter Heal said he’s unsure about any concerns with the speed limit going back to 50 kilometres per hour during summer months in ASE camera zones.

“Seems fair to me to allow drivers to travel at 50 now that the kids are not in school,” he said. “As long as the signs…are clear, then drivers should be able to navigate the speed limit changes during summer vacation and avoid tickets once the kids are back.

“Who knows, reducing to 40 permanently might even cause complacency for drivers in those zones,” Heal said. “The changing speed limits in school zones during the year might even force drivers to pay more attention, which in the long run would be better for safety in school zones.”

Heal speaks from experience with ASE cameras, as he received an $80 ticket for travelling 52 kilometres in a reduced 40 kilometre per hour zone on Anne Street N. last January.

Gordon MacBain, a Barrie driver too, also favours the higher speed limit in non-school months.

“I guess I would have to say that 50 kilometres per hour during the summer would seem to be the more appropriate choice,” he said. 

Barrie’s ASE cameras are rotated to different community safety zones every few months. Municipal Speed Camera in Use signs are installed when cameras are active and tickets are being issued.

The cameras are southbound on Leacock Drive, near St. Mary's Catholic School, and eastbound on Cundles Road E. near St. Joseph's Catholic High School and Frère-André Catholic Elementary School.

The ASE cameras are being moved again this week, city staff said, to westbound on Little Avenue, near Assikinack Public School, and southbound on Prince William Way near Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School.

Barrie’s ASE cameras were first located eastbound on Big Bay Point Road, near Willow Landing and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic elementary schools, and southbound on Anne Street North, near Portage View and Nouvelle-Alliance schools, from last Dec. 1 until Feb. 18.

ASE cameras were then catching speeders northbound Essa Road near Timothy Christian School, and westbound on Ardagh Road in the vicinity of Heritage Baptist Church, beginning at the end of February.

Council approved a June motion that the city lease two more ASE cameras, at an unspecified time, which will give Barrie four instead of two speed-camera zones for ticketing, as each location requires one camera. The cost of leasing two more cameras will be funded through city revenue from the ASE program.

Mayor Alex Nuttall has justified two more ASE cameras, and zones, by noting there’s been a major speed reduction in the areas where the city put ASE cameras. 

ASE cameras in Barrie’s first two locations were successful in significantly reduced speeding there, when compared to the use of flashing 40 kilometre per hour lights. During peak school hours, speeds were reduced by 12 kilometres per hour at the Big Bay Point Road location and 13 kilometres per hour at the Anne Street location. This reduction is compared to speeds during peak school hours when the flashing 40 kilometres per hour lights were in use.

The ASE camera is triggered by a threshold speed; threshold speeds will not be disclosed, the city says.

If a vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit in an ASE area, the camera captures an image that is stored and reviewed by a provincial offences officer.

When ASE cameras are in use, there’s a sign indicating how the speed limit can differ depending on the time of year, the day and time of day — related to times when children are attending schools.

The reduced speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour is in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, Sept. 1 to June 30, in all variable time flashing zones or when an automated speed enforcement camera is in use.