Spotted on Woodroffe Avenue (near the public library at Carlingwood) this speed feedback sign reminds drivers of their actual speed. It would have been much more useful with a copy of the posted speed limit sign below it.
The City didn’t install this sign, it is funded somewhat privately by the Councillor (using his budget, I presume). Like bus shelters, roadside benches with advertising, or garbage cans with advertising, it combines civic benefit with private advertising.
I have no problem with this. If the City were to officially do this themselves, sans advertising, the sign would be much more expensive, would require an expensive and extensive service staff, and an entire bureaucracy to debate where to put them. Advertising on bus shelters, for example, is often for charities and “good works” and is often the only variable and colourful element to be found on our dead bland streets.
Perhaps we could find sponsors for speed bumps? Who has some suggestions?
Hows about the money that I gave in a nonvoluntary tax be used to police that area and the councillor did not fund this I did he’s or her salary is paid by me!
Stop the spending!
Actually, the signs are paid for by the counciller’s office budget. Not the counciller themselves. So really, not privatizing road calming. The signs are placed by city staff.
Hi Eric. Indeed the displays are purchased by the Councillor (and not just Mark Taylor – most have purchased displays) out of City funds allocated to them for this type of things. Installation is done by City staff. This particular location is helping to reinforce a new (since last October) school speed zone (40 km/h) in front of Woodroffe Ave PS. When I contacted the councillor he indicated other unspecified traffic calming measures are in the works for Woodroffe closer to Carling. In some other jurisdictions they are going much further to demarcate school speed zones including alternative pavement markings, coloured curbs, bollards down the centre of the road (common in Québec) etc. I would at least like to see us incorporate those on-pavement speed limit markings that Peter Hume has used to some success in Alta Vista ward. Of course by Ottawa standards probably much too radical thinking on my part.