#SlowDownVaughan

Nov. 17, 2021 3:00 p.m.
​Vaughan launches new campaign to help keep all road users safe


Road safety and the well-being of citizens remain a top priority for the City of Vaughan – and that includes continuing to respond to key traffic concerns. To encourage drivers to reduce their speed, the City has launched a new campaign: #SlowDownVaughan.

Vaughan residents can post a #SlowDownVaughan sign on their lawn, in their windows or on their social media profiles to encourage the public to slow down while driving on City roads. Lawn signs are available to pick up at Vaughan Public Libraries and community centres, excluding Garnet A. Williams Community Centre. Citizens can also download print-at-home window signs or social media graphics at vaughan.ca/SlowDownVaughan. Signs are produced by the City and are free to Vaughan residents.

Citizens are also encouraged to show support for safe driving by sharing pictures of their signs and using the hashtag #SlowDownVaughan on social media.

Visit vaughan.ca/SlowDownVaughan for more information on this initiative, including details on how to participate.

The #SlowDownVaughan campaign comes in response to Ward 1 City Councillor Marilyn Iafrate’s Member’s Resolution to create a new city-wide lawn-sign campaign. The campaign was officially endorsed by Council in the Committee of the Whole (2) meeting on Oct. 13, 2021 and approved by Council at the Oct. 20, 2021 Council meeting.

This program is just one of a number underway related to road safety. The City has developed a MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy, which sets the direction and priorities for the next five years while ensuring an efficient, reliable, safe and sustainable transportation system. The MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy was guided by input received from the public, which identified road safety and effective traffic management as top priorities to help meet the existing and evolving needs of the community. The strategy consists of four programs, one of them being the Road Safety Program, created to increase road safety and raise public awareness.

As part of the MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy, the City has developed a Speed Limit Policy to further ensure the safety of our most vulnerable road users and the appropriate criteria continues to be used in the establishment of speed limits throughout the City’s road network.

For more information about the policy, including the newly implemented speed reductions in school zone areas, visit vaughan.ca/SpeedPolicy. As well, speed limits on all public laneways are decreasing to 30 kilometres per hour – the previous limit was 50 kilometres per hour, this year.

QUOTES

“At the City of Vaughan, one of our top priorities is to ensure everyone feels safe while walking, cycling or driving throughout the city. That is why we have launched the #SlowDownVaughan campaign – an important and necessary step in an effort to reduce instances of speeding and motor vehicle accidents. Speeding and reckless driving lead to a higher risk of losing control behind the wheel and being involved in a crash, which can be fatal or cause serious injury. We all share the responsibility and have a role to play in keeping roads safe for everyone. I encourage citizens to show their support by picking up a lawn sign to display on their property and adhering to the posted speed limits. By working together as a community, we can ensure Vaughan remains a safe place to live, work and raise a family.”

-        Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua

“Improving road safety in Vaughan is a concern I share with many citizens. With a rapidly growing population resulting in increased travel demand, it is more important now than ever to include a strategy in our plans to expand transportation networks that ensure all road users' safety. I was pleased to bring forward a Member's Resolution to Council in June to address the immediate need to implement traffic-calming measures. Through the #SlowDownVaughan initiative, we are working to promote safe neighbourhoods and improve communities across the city. We will not tolerate aggressive or careless driving in Vaughan, and, by placing a lawn sign outside their homes, citizens can show their support to foster a safe community.”

-        Ward 1 Councillor Marilyn Iafrate

QUICK FACTS

  • The City of Vaughan is committed to delivering Service Excellence, as outlined in the 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan. Implementing the #SlowDownVaughan program reinforces the City’s commitment to transportation and mobility and active, safe, and diverse communities.
  • The City of Vaughan is responsible for maintaining 2,200 kilometres of roads and 96 traffic signals, enabling 585,000 average daily trips throughout the city.
  • With a new downtown core, thousands of businesses and more than 341,600 residents, the City of Vaughan is one of Ontario’s fastest growing municipalities – and it continues to grow. In response to the increase in travel demand throughout Vaughan, the City has developed a MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy. The strategy sets the direction and priorities for the next five years while ensuring an efficient, reliable, safe and sustainable transportation system for all citizens and business owners.
  • Vaughan’s Speed Limit Policy is a speed management tool and part of one of the four programs in the City’s MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy. The policy was approved by Council on June 22, 2021. Implementation began in fall 2021.
  • The MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy reinforces the City’s commitment to Transportation and Mobility, a strategic priority in the 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan which focuses on improving the municipal road network, supporting the development of transit and increasing cycling and pedestrian infrastructure to create a fully connected and integrated community.
  • As part of Council’s efforts to keep the community safe, the City of Vaughan recently proclaimed National Teen Driver Safety Week from Oct. 17 to 23, 2021. This annual initiative, led by Parachute, aims to increase public awareness of teen driver safety issues and encourage community and youth involvement as part of the solution. To learn more about City proclamations, visit vaughan.ca/proclamations.

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