Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter
In response to concerns raised by citizens, the municipality of Ormstown has passed a bylaw reducing the speed limits on several streets throughout the village.
The bylaw was adopted unanimously by the council during a special meeting on June 11. The new speed limits, which include reductions to 30 kilometres per hour on several streets, will come into force on September 1.
The streets where circulation has been limited to 30 km/h include sections of or the entire lengths of Rue Bridge, Rue Roy, Rue Georges, Terrasse Bruno-Beaulieu, Rue Victoria, Rue Barrington, Rue Prince-Albert, and the Rue du Marais. Several of the streets affected by the bylaw form school corridors around Ormstown Elementary School, École Notre-Dame-de-Rosaire, and the Jean-XXIII building.
Posted speed limits on all other residential streets situated within the urban perimeter will be reduced to 40 km/h, while sections of 3e Rang, Route 138A, and Chemin Island will soon be restricted to 50 km/h.
The bylaw also limits circulation to below 70 km/h on sections of 3e Rang and Chemin de la Rivière Châteauguay, while part or all of Rang Dumas, Montée Guérin, Rang des Botreaux, Chemin Rivière aux Outardes, 4e Rang, Rang Tullochgorum, Montée du Rocher, Route 138A, Chemin Seigneurial, and both the Upper and Lower Concessions will be reduced to 80 km/h.
The bylaw will also see the introduction of unidirectional or one-way circulation on several streets including Rue Victoria between the intersections with Church and Barrington. The entire length of Terrasse Bruno Beaulieu becomes one-way, as does Rue Fulford between the intersections with Lambton and Church streets.
The provincial government recognized municipalities as local governments with increased autonomy and powers, including the ability to amend speed limits on their road networks without the approval of the Ministère des Transports in 2017. The Ormstown bylaw also notes that the Sûreté du Québec will apply the new speed limits and one-way circulation according to the Quebec Highway Safety Code.
Signs have been installed by the public works department. A 30-day grace period for residents to become accustomed to the changes is now in effect and will expire on September 1.