This is a fair warning for motorists who use McKay Avenue to travel to and fromTrout Lake Road.
North Bay City Council recently approved the implementation of a new Community Safety Zone with a permanent speed reduction on McKay Avenue between Trout Lake Road and Eastview Cresent and the change is now in effect.
Laurentian Learning Centre requested the change from the City of North Bay. The changes, aimed at enhancing public safety, resulted from the passing of By-law No. 2024-44 at the regular meeting held on May 21. The signage was installed and the zone took effect on Monday, June 3.
As per the Highway Traffic Act, the official designation of a CSZ requires the enactment of a municipal by-law which includes the designated area and the erection of regulatory signs on the designated part of the roadway.
The speed limit in the area was 50 kilometres per hour and with the approval of the Community Safety Zone, the posted speed has now dropped to 40 km/hr. Any person convicted of specific offences described in the HTA is liable to increased fines if committed in a Community Safety Zone.
"Public safety in the above-noted area is of special concern due to the high volume of vulnerable road users, including pedestrian traffic," according to the associated staff report. "The designation of a Community Safety Zone would raise driver awareness of public safety in this location."
The HTA provides the council of a municipality the authority to designate a part of a highway under its jurisdiction as a Community Safety Zone if the council deems public safety is of special concern on that part of the highway. The Ontario Traffic Manual states, "A CSZ may be used for roadways near schools, daycare centres, playgrounds, parks, hospitals, senior citizen residences, or collision-prone areas."