Town Manager says ticketing speeders is outside Town’s jurisdiction
By Mark Squibb / July 7, 2023
A resident of Bay Bulls who had requested six speed humps be installed along Sheldon Drive and Marsh Road will have to be satisfied with just the one.
Council discussed the request, which was for four seed humps along Sheldon Drive and two along Marsh Road, during last week’s meeting, from which Mayor Keith O’Driscoll and councillor Jason Sullivan were both absent. Of the three councillors present, there was some disagreement as how to best approach the request.
Councillor Shannon O’Driscoll motioned to install speed bumps and signage along Sheldon Drive, as per the request.
Councillor Corey Ronayne off the bat noted council had refused a similar request for speed humps at a recent meeting.
Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien added that, as per the Town’s Traffic Calming Policy, the date for accepting speed hump requests had already passed. Such requests had to be submitted no later than 10 calendar days before the June monthly meeting.
O’Brien said six speed humps were too many for such a small stretch of road, and suggested council make a friendly amendment to the motion to reduce the number of speed humps being voted upon.
He added the real problem is not the number of speed humps in town, but the number of speeders, and the best way to resolve safety concerns would be to have drivers ease off the gas pedal.
To that point, Town Manager Jennifer Aspell noted the Town cannot ticket speeders, as that falls under the purview of the RCMP, and the most the municipality can do is install traffic calming measures in an attempt to curb speeding.
As to O’Brien’s suggestion to reduce the number of speed humps being voted upon, councillor Ronayne suggested council approve just one speed hump along Sheldon Drive.
O’Driscoll, however, said she would prefer council approve all four.
“There’s a lot of young kids in that area playing, and it’s better to be safe than sorry,” she said.
O’Driscoll’s original motion was put to a vote, and O’Brien and Ronayne both voted against it.
Councillor Ronayne then moved that council install a single speed hump along Sheldon Drive.
That motion was approved, with all three members of the five-person council present being in favour.
