By Chad Ingram

Published Aug. 16 2018

A digital radar sign Haliburton County’s roads department set up along CountyRoad 21 in Haliburton Village earlier this summer has shown positive results in urging drivers to slow down.

The county purchased the interactive speed display board after a recommendation in the traffic corridor study that was performed along County Road 21 by engineering firm AECOM last year.

It late June the board was set up to capture data for eastbound drivers. Before the display was turned on the radar data showed that eight per cent of drivers were travelling at or less than the 50 km/hr speed limit; 30 per cent were travelling between 51 and 60 km/hr; 40 per cent at 61 to 70 km/hr; and 22 per cent at 71 km/hr or faster.

Once the radar sign was set in display mode – with drivers able to see the speed at which they were travelling – driving habits changed significantly.

“Then we turned it on and you can see that the percentage of slow drivers increased” roads director Craig Douglas told councillors on the county’s roads committee during an Aug. 8 meeting.

The percentage of drivers travelling at 50 km/h or slower increased to 31 per cent; 34 per cent of drivers were travelling between 51 and 60 km/hr; 24 per cent between 61 and 70 km/h; and 11 per cent at 71 km/hr or faster.

“This is consistent with results in other jurisdictions” said Minden Hills Mayor Brent Devolin. “It changes behaviour.”

“Currently we’re trying to move it around” Douglas said explaining the radar was set up in Eagle Lake. The plan is to continue to move the radar sign to various parts of the county particularly in areas where the speed limit drops from 80 to 50 km/hr.