Traffic Calming

Traffic calming measures are implemented to address issues with speeding, excessive traffic volumes, and neighbourhood safety. While methods may vary, all traffic calming measures help to improve the safety and quality of life for residents by reducing the speed and volume of traffic.

Traffic Calming Measures

Flashing 40 Signs

Flashing 40 signs designate time specific reduced speed limits in front of certain schools. As regulated by Traffic By-Law 93-93, Schedule X, drivers must travel at 40 km/h when flashing beacons are activated. When not in operation, the speed limit returns to the posted limit for that road.

During the first two weeks of school, these signs will flash Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm. For the rest of the school year, flashing beacons will be activated based on school hours and/or peak travel times.

Speed Display Boards

Speed display boards are pole-mounted devices equipped with radar speed detectors and an LED display. The boards are capable of detecting the approaching speed of a vehicle and displaying it back to the driver.

When combined with a regulatory speed limit sign, a clear message is sent to the driver that they may be travelling too fast. The objective of the program is to improve road safety by making drivers aware of their speed.

Vehicle Activated Traffic Calming Signs

Vehicle Activated Traffic Calming Signs (VATCS) are solar powered pole-mounted devices equipped with radar speed detectors and an LED display.

When a vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed, the sign’s LED display will light up and display the words “SLOW DOWN” along with a standard Ontario speed limit sign and flashing ambers in four corners.

Signs are installed on 40 or 50 km/h roads with a higher than expected speed or roads that have been identified in the Neighbourhood Traffic Management Guide. The boards demonstrate Council’s commitment to address citizen concerns regarding vehicle speeds.

Watch for Children Signs

The purpose of the Watch for Children warning sign is to warn drivers of the unexpected presence of children on or near a designated roadway. It is felt that displaying this message will encourage drivers to be more cautious when travelling within a neighbourhood.

These signs are considered on roads when the following criteria are met:

Two-lane collector road
Contain direct residential frontage
Intersect with an arterial road
Show evidence of non-local traffic

Final decisions on sign placement will be based on traffic engineering guidelines and principles.

Crosswalk Markings

Ladder stripe crosswalk markings are lines painted within the pedestrian crosswalk parallel to the driver’s direction of travel. The white bands are 60 cm wide and spaced 60 cm apart. Ladder stripe crosswalks increase drivers’ visibility of crosswalks during daylight and at night.

There have been several studies related to the effectiveness of ladder stripe crosswalks in the improvement of crosswalk visibility. Based on this, the City will use ladder stripe crosswalks as a means to improve pedestrian safety.

The following guidelines will be used to determine appropriate locations for ladder stripe crosswalks in Brampton:

Crossings controlled by a traffic signal or a stop sign
Pedestrian crossing volumes are high
Right or left turn vehicle volumes are high
Higher than expected number of pedestrian collisions

Roundabouts

A roundabout is an intersection at which all traffic circulates counterclockwise, to the right of a central island. Entering vehicles must yield to all traffic already in the roundabout.

Roundabouts offer a number of benefits:

Slows Traffic While Improving Traffic Flow - Traffic flow is improved by keeping all directions of traffic flowing as compared to traditional intersection which stops two or more directions of traffic at a time.
Improved Safety - Roundabouts have fewer possible conflicts between vehicles, 8 as opposed to a traditional intersection which has 32. Collisions that occur in roundabouts are less severe as a result of the decreased speed.
More Environmentally Friendly - The increased rate of traffic flow in roundabouts reduces the stop and start of traditional intersection. Fewer stops and starts mean reduced fuel consumption which results in reduced emissions.
Reduced Costs - Roundabouts reduce costs when compared to traditional intersections as there is no need to install, maintain or power traffic signal equipment.

Community Safety Zones

The purpose of a Community Safety Zone is to indicate to the motorist that they are within a zone where fines have been increased through a special designation under the Highway Traffic Act (many set fines are doubled such as speeding and traffic signal related offences).

The signs that include the BEGINS and ENDS tabs define the legal limits of the zone. The rules of the road do not change within the zone; only the penalties for violations are increased.

Automated Speed Enforcement

Brampton is a Healthy and Safe City. We are ensuring our sidewalks, bike lanes, and roads are safe through measures such as Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE), which has decreased speeds by as much as 13 km/h across 32 Community Safety Zones in Brampton.

Traffic Calming Measures

Traffic Calming Projects

Using a Roundabout

Traffic Management Guide