Report says photo radar will slow traffic in McCrea Heights area of Sudbury

While rejecting traffic signals and a pedestrian crossover, staff at Greater Sudbury say photo radar will slow motorists driving on McCrea Heights.

MR80 between the Flour Mill and the Valley has long been a source of concerns for residents. Parts of the roadway is a 60 km/h zone, but speeding is common along the area. A staff study found the most common speed on that section of road was 84 km/h.

A city council resolution last August called for a new look at the roadway, since the population in Valley East is growing and traffic is getting heavier.

Of particular concern are McCrea Heights residents trying to access MR80 between Simon Street and Robin Avenue, particularly at peak traffic times. But a traffic count at four intersections found there wasn’t enough congestion or collisions to warrant stop signs.

Traffic signals are only warranted if there are 15 or more collisions in a three-year period at the intersection that would have been prevented by a stop sign.

“Only one collision occurred at both Municipal Road 80 at Simon Street and Municipal Road 80 at Neal Street during that time period that could have been prevented if traffic signals were present at the intersection,” the report said.

“The other two intersections in the study area did not have any collisions that could have been prevented if traffic signals were present.”

There also isn’t enough pedestrian traffic for a crossover, but the report said automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras would force drivers to slow down.

“The increased enforcement of speed limits is an effective strategy for discouraging aggressive driving behaviours and ensuring compliance with traffic regulations,” the report said.

A photo radar camera is slated to be installed in March or April next year.

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“Deploying ASE at this location is anticipated to significantly enhance speed limit enforcement and will contribute to a more compliant traffic flow along this major road, ultimately leading to increased safety and improving the ease of access to and from minor roads,” the report said.

Read the full report here.