This summer, the Town of Newmarket has been making traffic safety improvements and enhancements to 14 Community Safety Zones in Town. These 14 locations were previously selected when the automated speed enforcement program was in effect. Funding for these improvements was made possible by the Province of Ontario’s Road Safety Initiative Fund (RSIF) to help transition from ASE to infrastructure-based road safety measures intended to maintain and enhance road safety.
Road safety traffic measures include:
- Enhanced speed feedback signs: These digital signs display customizable safety messages designed to encourage safer driving habits and greater compliance with posted speed limit.
- Flexible bollards: These enhancements are installed on roadways to create a visual narrowing effect that encourages drivers to reduce their speed. The bollards will remain in place until October and will then be removed to accommodate winter maintenance activities, such as snow plowing. They will be re-installed in the spring.
- Pedestrian crossover (PXO): Some existing school crossing locations are proposed to be upgraded to pedestrian crossovers in 2027.
- A pedestrian crossover (PXO) is a designated crossing location where vehicles must stop to allow pedestrians to cross. These crossings give pedestrians the legal right-of-way and make it safer and easier to cross streets.
- Pavement markings include:
- New centrelines and ladder crosswalk markings are important road safety features that help guide motorists and pedestrians through intersections, improve lane discipline, and enhance visibility.
- Urban shoulders and painted medians are traffic-calming measures that visually narrow the roadway, encouraging drivers to reduce their speed and help create safer streets for all road users.
- “Slow Down” pavement stencils serve as a visual reminder to drivers to reduce their speed and be more aware of their surroundings.
- Speed cushions: Planned for installation in 2027, speed cushions are like speed humps but are separated to allow the wider wheel tracks of buses and emergency vehicles to still travel over them with minimal impact while slowing down general traffic.
The 14 locations to receive the above traffic safety enhancements are:
- Ward 1 – Stonehaven Avenue and Kingsmere Avenue
- Ward 2 – Gorham Street and Srigley Street
- Ward 3 – Patterson Street and Wayne Drive
- Ward 4 – Bristol Road, Burford Road and Longford Drive
- Ward 5 – Queen Street and William Roe Boulevard
- Ward 6 - Clearmeadow Boulevard and Savage Road
- Ward 7 – Woodspring Avenue East and Woodspring Avenue West
The traffic safety measures mentioned above will be used alongside other educational efforts through the Town’s Safety Driven campaign and mascot Safety Cone Sam. See other road safety improvements in Newmarket by viewing this interactive map.
As a reminder, drivers should also be prepared for increased activity on local roads and sidewalks as students return to school. Extra caution is encouraged in school zones and near crosswalks where pedestrian and cyclist activity may be higher during morning and afternoon travel times. See safety tips on the Town’s website.
For more information on other traffic safety initiatives in Newmarket, visit Newmaket.ca/SafetyDriven.