Slow street yellow barriers

Slow Streets

Slow Streets are routes for walking, biking, and rolling that also accommodate emergency services and local vehicle access.   

Launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Slow Streets made it easier for people to exercise and access businesses in their neighbourhood. The initiative has since helped to reshape how we view and use local streets, providing a safe and comfortable street environment for different users.

Slow Streets were first designated using signage and temporary barriers. Now, the network is being refreshed with more permanent barriers to reduce maintenance costs and encourage drivers to slow down when entering local streets.

What's happeningWe're installing new signage and barriers on existing Slow Streets in fall 2022

This refresh will improve how Slow Streets look, decrease maintenance costs, and transition the network to a more permanent state. Barriers will be installed where Slow Streets intersect major streets and will create a gateway to encourage drivers travelling at higher speeds on major streets to slow down as they enter the neighbourhood.  

Intersection conditions prevent the installation of barriers in some locations. In these instances, we will install new signage at these locations and other locations within neighbourhoods. All plastic barriers will be removed. 

The gateways will be installed in late October 2022, with the new barriers gradually replacing the temporary ones. We will monitor the network alongside other traffic calming programs following the refresh.

About the Slow Streets initiative

Timeline

  • Mid-April 2020

    Prototype | Kits Point

  • May to August 2020

    Waves 1 to 5 installed

    • 40 km of Slow Streets installed with temporary barriers and signage

  • September to December 2020

    Wave 6 and traffic calming upgrades installed

    • Additional signage and concrete barriers installed on selected Slow Streets
    • Collected public feedback on the changes

  • Fall/winter 2020

    Review | Public feedback

  • Spring 2021

    Wave 7 and traffic calming upgrades installed

    • Additional signage and concrete barriers installed on selected Slow Streets
    • Collected public feedback on the changes

  • Late 2021/early 2022

    Review

    • Review the network and community feedback to determine next steps

  • Summmer 2022

    Confirm Slow Streets refresh

    • Plan to retain Slow Streets network, replacing temporary barriers with gateways and signage

  • We are here
  • Late 2022

    Implement refresh

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  • Late 2022 and beyond

    Monitor changes