Owen Sound may took a look at photo radar as a possible speed enforcement tool.
The city’s operations committee passed a motion at a recent meeting recommending council direct staff to investigate using photo radar within the streets of Owen Sound and bring back the findings as part of a traffic calming report.
Photo radar — or a speed camera — is an automated enforcement system that records the speed of passing vehicles and then takes a picture of the licence plate of those travelling over the posted limit.
The staff report on traffic calming is expected to come back to committee in June. At its meeting on Monday, city council still needs to formally approve the direction to include a look at photo radar.
“I think it’s good that we look at it as a committee and council, at what mechanisms we can evaluate in making sure our streets our safe,” says Operations Committee Chair and Deputy Mayor Scott Greig.
Owen Sound’s Manager of Engineering Services Chris Webb told operations committee members during a Jan. 26 meeting some consultation with the Owen Sound Police Service and the police services board is required before bringing anything forward with photo radar, because it is enforcement.
“Enforcement is a police services matter,” Webb says.
In 2021, a review of speed limits in Owen Sound was conducted and the city’s former public works director Dennis Kefalas told the operations committee then discussions with the Owen Sound Police Service made it clear speeding “is not a chronic issue” in the city, aside from a few problem areas.
