The Town of Huntsville is requesting that the District of Muskoka conduct a speed limit analysis and consider lowering the posted speed limit from 80km/h to 60 km/h on Brunel Road.
The change in speed limit requested would apply to the stretch between Markle’s Road to Britannia Road.
The request was brought up at Huntsville Council’s May 26 meeting. It was brought forward by Deputy Mayor Dan Armour via Councillor Monty Clouthier as a result of speeding complaints from an area resident.
Armour said drivers go through there at a high rate of speed, and while enforcement is probably the best way to address concerns, “in the meantime, we thought we’d send something to the District and just have them do an analysis of the road to see if it doesn’t warrant an actual reduction.”
Councillor Bob Stone said he always questions the speed reduction approach. “We know it doesn’t really change the behaviours on that road, and is there a more encompassing study to inform us of what’s appropriate,” he asked referring to roads across Huntsville and Muskoka in general. “There’s some people that would like all of our roads to be 20 kilometres an hour and there’s others that would like them faster.”
Clouthier spoke of roads like Brunel, where there are many houses and families living along them, and the need to ensure the speed of the travelling public along such roads is reduced for overall safety. He said there are stretches along Brunel where it changes to 80 kilometres per hour from 60, 40 and 50 km/hr.
“There’s absolutely no need to have 80 between there, in that stretch of road because it has houses on both sides of it, there’s heavy populations plus there’s a large dog kennel along there too, you know a lot of people are in and out of that [road] traffic-wise.” He said the lower the speed limit, the higher the fine.
Councillor Dione Schumacher said she had been speaking to Brandon Hall, Civil Engineering Technologist with the Town, who she said has indicated that under the Highway Traffic Act, the standard is 80km/h “unless we as a council decide otherwise.” She questioned whether the Highway Traffic Act needs to be changed. She also said the municipality has undertaken a Roads Needs Study, which, although it may not be completed, does look at roads and possible speed limits, “So I think once that is fully completed, we will get a copy of that…”
She suggested that speeding should be addressed through a combination of measures, including speed-calming strategies and said police isn’t out doing the enforcement, particularly in rural areas.
Councillor Jason FitzGerald also said he thought there wasn’t enough enforcement. He said people will continue to speed, and when they do get caught, the fines are minimal. “I think it’s time we started looking at other communities that have cameras to keep our roads safe. You know, at what point do we say enough is enough,” said FitGerald, who spoke of a near-miss on Clearwater Lake Road due to speeding.
Hall said the Transportation Association of Canada manual is what the municipality follows, which considers a multitude of factors when considering speed limits. He said the consultant working on the Road Needs Study has identified roads that need to be reviewed under that manual. “So that has already been completed, and we’re starting that process this summer. We have an extra four traffic counters that are going to help us to complete that task, so we’ll know which ones we may be coming before you with a bylaw amendment to reflect those changes, but they’ve already been pointed out over our total kilometres of road.”
Hall explained to councillors that the changes in marked speed limits on Brunel, which is a District road, are transition zones. “So you’re not going to have an 80 to a 40. You’re not going to have an 80 to a 50. You need to go 80 to 60, then you can get to 50.” He also told council to consider that changes in posted speed limits can also impact the level of service those roads receive.
In the end, council agreed to ask the District to run an analysis of the road.
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It’s pretty clear from the comments that the consensus is not to reduce the speed limit, which has been appropriate in this area for decades, but to enforce it. If patrolling the area is not feasible, what about a speed camera? They’re used in urban areas in cities to deter speeding and are very effective.
We may as well go back to riding horses., but then they would bitch and complain about having to clean up the horse shit. As it is this lowering the speed limit is a bunch of horse shit anyway. I don’t know how you can even speed on Brunel Road with it posted already. It’s not the straightest road in Muskoka.
Lowering the limit is NOT needed, ENFORCEMENT is! I live on Brunel and there are DEF some drivers doing over 100 mph aftr markles rd (literally nothng but a blur lol)…..most people are fine or evn go too slow.
But havng a cop or 2 travel tht rd thruout the day and honestly, at night too wld remind peopl to not speed.
The commnt about havng the OPP on speed dial is ridiculous, theyll do nothng about tailgaters and if youre dealing with a speeder, you wont be able to catch the license plate and it takes ages to get thru to the cops because your call doesnt go directly to Huntsville detachmnt.
Its very simple, just ENFORCE the limit thats already in place
From my experience as a Realtor in Muskoka speeding, aggressive driving and tailgating are a very big problem on all of our roads, not just Brunel Road. And so is lack of enforcement. I think it’s very reasonable to reduce the speed limit to 60 from 80 kph. on Brunel. What’s the rush? The toll on wildlife being killed is huge. Another road that is insane is South Waseosa Lake Road where the posted speed limit is 60 kph. It should be 50 at most. Every single time I drive that road I am tailgated and even passed which is so very dangerous. There are many hills and curves with poor visibility. Recently two baby deer were killed by a speeder, on that road it’s so sad. Come on people, wake up, please slow down!!!
Get the OPP on speed dial. Then you can give them a call when the tailgaters and speeders are behaving wrecklessly. Try and get a license # to help the authorities. A visit from the police might help with enforcement.
So the council recognized enforcement is the better course of action but due to the complaint of an area resident (meaning one?) and a few councilors who are passionate about cars driving too fast, money gets wasted on a road survey about speed on a road with very few accidents?
Well done, good use of tax payers money.
If you keep lowering the speed limit in longer lengths on Brunel it will soon be quicker to walk. I guess the squeaky wheel always gets the most grease especially if they have money. So you have houses on both sides of the road and a business. What about the rest of the road or other roads with the same issues? You going to drop all the other areas as well. How about spending your time on more important issues. If you say it is for safety issues then put in some bike lines where triathlons are being held. Get after the schools board and try to get buses from stopping at blind intersections such as Maple Heights and Brunel. What makes you think people are going to slow down with lower speeds posted. Maybe it just needs more enforcement. Lowering the speed because of houses and a business. My god, if they weren’t there you wouldn’t need roads. We locals have lives here and need to commute to schools and jobs etc. Stop trying to only pleasing the tourists and tackle more important jobs or does that require to much work?
Speed limits are pointless without enforcement. I personally drive the posted speeds when I travel from Huntsville to Bayville on Brunel. It is not very busy and yes I have been tailgated and passed at very high speeds. That said do we want to reduce limits to a snails pace “just in case” in areas that have low volumes and no real history of accidents. The vast majority of people obey the posted limited and drive appropriately.
I definitely do not want to see anyone hurt or killed. Believe me. Let’s not make panic and anger make our policies but cool and calm thought.
I wonder who is going to enforce the speed limit, if you do the speed limit your tailgated or intimidated by large trucks and half ton’s, when I am driving the school bus they are so close to me I cannot see them in my mirrors, maybe we should correct the part you have already posted at 60 before you create more aggressive driving
I drive Brunel Road regularly, at the posted speed limit. I am often tail-gated by impatient drivers. A consistent speed limit between the locks and Muskoka Road 10 might help ‘condition’ drivers. And prepare them for the 40 kph at Riverside Public School. It’s not a lengthy stretch of road. We can do without 80 kph.
I agree with Craig’s comment, certainly not a high density stretch of road. I do however have a concern with the Brunel rd and Musk rd 10 intersection. This is very dangerous and the vehicles coming from the east ( Baysville Direction ) make it place to use extreme caution. The problem is the reduction in speed sign from 80 to 60 mph and the 60 begins is too close to the intersection. As well it is sometimes hard to see these signs because of trees foliage
As well the Distrct could be asked to review the need for an oversized 60 begins and better site lines for the signs.
“There’s absolutely no need to have 80 between there, in that stretch of road because it has houses on both sides of it, there’s heavy populations plus there’s a large dog kennel along there too…” That is a pretty big exageration. There is definitely not a “heavy population” in that area and there are very few houses on that stretch. I have driven that stretch of Brunel my entire life and I never thought that 80km/h was too fast. I am not against lowering it though – it is a small stretch.