A Strategy for Safer Roads in Whitby, ON
Whitby, ON addresses speeding concerns with radar signs as a critical part of their multifaceted traffic management strategy.
The Challenge
The Town of Whitby, a suburb of Toronto, is a suburban community with a population of approximately 150,000 residents. Known for its blend of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, Whitby is a vibrant and growing town. However, as the town expanded, local authorities began to receive frequent complaints about speeding and traffic safety, particularly in school zones and areas with heavy residential and school traffic.
The Town Council, in response to these concerns, directed the Transportation Engineering Department to explore traffic calming measures. The primary goal was to reduce speeding, curb cut-through traffic and demonstrate the town’s commitment to improving road safety.
The Solution
To address these issues, the Town of Whitby deployed a variety of traffic calming solutions, including radar feedback signs and speed humps. Traffic Logix radar feedback signs were chosen for the town’s streets because of their cost-effectiveness, ease of installation, and demonstrated ability to reduce speeding in key areas.
The town began their program with compact 12” signs for their roads, an affordable option with a robust array of features. The signs display vehicle speed but can also display custom messages or graphics in response to driver speed. The energy efficient signs offer several power options as well as a dual color display. In addition to the 12” radar signs, the town is currently expanding their traffic calming program to include larger 15” radar signs, as well as Traffic Pulse AI, an AI traffic counter offering a wealth of comprehensive real-time traffic data.
The signs were strategically installed in locations with demonstrated speeding concerns, including school zones, collector roads, and arterial routes with significant residential or school traffic. While initially the town chose placements based on complaints, they have since transitioned to a data-driven methodology for determining where to place the traffic calming solutions.
The radar feedback signs from Traffic Logix provide real-time speed data and display driver-responsive messaging based on the approaching vehicle’s speed. Additionally, the Town of Whitby utilizes the cloud-based management platform to remotely monitor and manage these signs, which helps improve operational efficiency. The Logix on Cloud interface offers remote management as well as detailed data tracking and analytics. It allows the city to adjust settings, monitor driver speeds, and view detailed reporting from any web connected device.
The Benefits
Although Whitby did not conduct formal “before and after” studies, initial feedback suggests that the radar feedback signs have led to improvements in driving behaviors. The signs have also been effective in creating heightened awareness among drivers. Residents have responded positively to the presence of the signs, with many expressing approval for the town’s visible efforts to address speeding and enhance road safety.
Chris Potvin, the Program Manager of Transportation Engineering, explained that the convenience of the remote data interface has been particularly beneficial. The cloud-based platform allows staff to quickly view and assess data, manage settings, and ensure the signs are functioning properly.
The Town of Whitby also values the scalability of the system, noting that plans to expand the network of traffic calming devices and data collection tools are already underway. This expansion, which includes larger Traffic Logix radar signs as well as the company’s unique AI traffic counter, will help the town continue to refine its approach to traffic safety as it adapts to future growth. According to Potvin,
