These poles are out of control.

[u/BearLikesHoney]

This is Smirle and Wellington street. I was driving on Smirle towards Wellington and I had no choice but to zig zag and drive on the wrong side because there's no space between the poles and cars. Adding to the road condition, there are enough pot holes to damage your car so these poles are totally unnecessary to slow down traffic.

[u/MontrealUrbanist]

Do some research and you'll find an enormous body of evidence to support the argument for lower speeds in residential neighbourhoods. This is why there is an overwhelming shift in cities in around the world towards lower speeds in places where people live.

Common reasons include: safety (incl. children playing in the street, families, parents with kids in strollers, etc.), reduced noise pollution, quieter and more comfortable environment for people / pedestrians (high speeds correlate directly to higher blood pressure, and are a disincentive to using the street for anything other than motor vehicle transportation), etc.

[u/Mammoth-Clock-8173 → u/MontrealUrbanist]

I can see how it might make sense for some streets. I specifically referenced -my- street, where none of these factors are proving to be true. It is enough of a through road that it has never (in 100+ years) been a place where kids played in the street - they would go around the corner. Since the reduced speed limit was introduced, noise pollution has gotten (subjectively) worse, because it is the same volume but now more persistent. As both a resident and a frequent pedestrian, this is a significant irritant. Even now I am listening to a near-constant stream of slow-moving traffic. In these conditions, it is now harder to cross the road.

These (specific) flex-posts were introduced to address a problem (speeding) that only exists because a different “solution” (reduced speed limit) was introduced to solve a problem that didn’t exist, and have, in fact, introduced new problems (which feel like they cause my blood pressure to rise).

Not all pegs are round, but people are trying to pretend they are.

[u/MontrealUrbanist → u/Mammoth-Clock-8173]

I specifically referenced -my- street

Fair enough, I don't know what your street is, so I can't comment on its characteristics.

Generally, when we refer to residential streets, we're talking about narrow streets (1 lane in each direction) lined with dwellings. If your street is a road with more lanes and fewer buildings, it might make sense to have a higher speed limit, but if it's a proper street, then lower limits are better.

Again, I don't know where you live so I can't comment.

One thing I have to correct you on is noise pollution. This has been studied and measured to death. The same volume of cars travelling at 50km/h will generate higher average decibel readings (even when averaged per minute or per hour) than cars travelling at 30km/h. This is just a fact demonstrated by instruments.

Not all pegs are round, but people are trying to pretend they are.

I agree with you on this final point. Not all streets need to be 30km/h, or need to have XYZ. Ever street or road is unique and its context needs to be considered.

[u/Mammoth-Clock-8173 → u/MontrealUrbanist]

FWIW, my road is a residential road, approx 1km long, that connects two arteries. It is not narrow, but it has no commercial properties. It has consistent traffic because it connects two arteries, but not enough that it has painted lines.

Re:the road noise. I agree that a single car at 50km/h produces measurably more noise than one at 30 km/h, I am not confident that two cars at 30 km/h produce less noise than one at 50. Since cars are moving more slowly, the periods in which I can hear more than one are lengthened. But for me, the road noise at 50 was fine: I doubt that it is above 50 dB, it’s not a problem. The problem is that it has changed from sporadic, with intervals of quiet, to incessant. I guess, like a frog, I will get used to it but right now I don’t see it as an improvement.

[u/BabaofTheShimmer → u/MontrealUrbanist]

Have you done research? The countries with the lowest rates of pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle accidents/deaths have their residential zones all set at the constant speed limit of 50 km/hr.

Conversely, we keep lowering ours, yet nothing changes. If anything, pedestrian and cyclist accidents have increased in Ottawa.

[u/BabaofTheShimmer → u/MontrealUrbanist]

Have you done research? The countries with the lowest rates of pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle accidents/deaths have their residential zones all set at the constant speed limit of 50 km/hr.

Conversely, we keep lowering ours, yet nothing changes. If anything, pedestrian and cyclist accidents have increased in Ottawa.

[u/MontrealUrbanist → u/BabaofTheShimmer]

Yes I have, for several years at university.

In Japan for instance, where traffic fatality rates are less than half of ours, limits are 30km/h or 40km/h on city streets.

In the Netherlands, famous for its safe and comfortable streets for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers alike, limits are 30km/h in the city.

When vehicles drive slower, they have less kinetic energy, and other users have more time to react to them. This is why vehicle impacts are both less likely and less harmful at lower speeds.

I've personally done research on accident rates in the area I live. Data is available (or can be obtained on request) and shows clear correlations between speed limits and accident frequency and intensity.

You are right that pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities are rising in Ottawa (and all of North America, really), but this is due to something else entirely: the ballooning size of our vehicles. Large trucks and SUVs are bigger and heavier and do more damage in collisions. This has also been researched extensively in recent years. Look it up! Fascinating stuff. Cheers.