The Ministry of Transportation has proposed a speed limit reduction along a short section of Highway 12.
The proposed change could see posted limits drop from 80 km/h to 60 km/h, between Old Barrie Road East and Mississaga Street West, to align with the speed limit on Old Barrie Road and provide “a safe operating speed through the Highway 11/Highway 12 interchange,” said provincial officials in a recent letter to the city.
“In 2017, the city lowered the speed limit to 60 km/h on Old Barrie Road west of the Highway 11 interchange in conjunction with the City’s Old Barrie Road Intersection Improvement Project,” provincial officials wrote. “As part of the design consultation, the ministry supported lowering the speed limit on Highway 12 from Old Barrie Road to the Mississaga Street West intersection.”
The city has until July 21 to provide feedback, otherwise the ministry will assume it is in favour of the proposed change, officials wrote.
“Speed limits on Provincial Highways, such as Highway 12, are the sole jurisdiction of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation,” said Melissa Gowanlock, the city’s manager of communications.
“There is no council decision to support or oppose the proposed change to the speed limit at this time. Should they choose to, council members may pull the correspondence from the CIP (council information package) to be placed on the agenda of the next council meeting for discussion.”
The next meeting of council is scheduled for July 17.
