The District of 100 Mile House is hoping to slow drivers down with the activation of its new mobile speed radar sign.
Representatives from the District of 100 Mile House, Interior Health, BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), 100 Mile Fire Rescue and the 100 Mile RCMP were on hand on June 14 for the deployment of the sign on Cariboo Trail.
The speed board was recognized as a needed tool following the Active Transportation Plan public consultation process, with residents identifying vehicle speeds as being a risk to drivers and pedestrians, as well as a source of noise pollution.
“We have several locations that are very known in our town for people not doing the speed limit,” said mayor Maureen Pinkney. “So this is going to be a real asset in both slowing people down in the interim while it’s parked there as well as identifying the other places the speed bumps are extremely successful.”
The sign has two purposes. The first is to raise awareness among drivers of their driving habits, while the second is to help the district identify areas of speeding through the collection of data using the sign’s onboard software. The district can then consider what type of speed reduction actions should be implemented.
“Because it’s on a trailer, research has noted people will see it and slow down, then after a while they get used to it. So the ability to move it to different places is really good,” said Marni Brenner, Community Health Facilitator for Interior Health.
The sign has a programmable speed violator flashing strobe light which flashes a driver’s speed at them as they approach the sign. The sign is solar-powered and also conserves energy by shutting down when there is no traffic present.
The district applied for funding in 2022 to install speed bumps on Evergreen and North Birch leading to the ball field. Savings incurred during that project made it possible to purchase the speed board with trailer and cover the cost of two additional speed bumps.
Grant funding in 2023 will allow for speed bumps to be installed on Cariboo Trail at the request of residents. Prior to their installation, the district plans to use the radar sign to collect data on speeders and then compare it with data gathered after the speed bumps are added.
“We’re going to know what people are doing and how effective it is,” said Pinkney.
fiona.grisswell@100milefreepress.net
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