Traffic Calming

Whether you're walking, biking, taking transit or driving, safe streets make our neighbourhoods safe. Resident-led traffic calming projects can improve safety, slow traffic, add beauty and bring neighbours together.

Kitchener residents have already shown how traffic calming can benefit their neighbourhood. Here are a few ideas that you can adapt for your neighbourhood:

• Painted crosswalks
• Roadway painting, like intersection murals
• Planter boxes on the boulevard
• Neighbourhood lawn signs
• Temporary or "pop-up" measures
• Alternative uses of parking spaces

To help you get started on traffic calming projects in your neighbourhood, we put together a guide. You can also access this printer-friendly version to easily share with your neighbours.

You may have seen other traffic calming measures in Kitchener, like speed humps, roadway narrowings or raised crosswalks. These measures require formal traffic studies and are led by city council and city staff. Read more about the city's traffic calming policies.

In contrast, the traffic calming projects that qualify for this program can be led by residents at any time of year, without formal traffic studies.

Steps to complete a traffic calming project

 Generate ideas and support

1. Meet with city staff

We will meet with you, in your neighbourhood, and discuss how city staff can make it easy for you to get started. We'll also discuss:

• Your goals for this project
• Your current idea and proposed location
• Safety guidelines and road legislation that might impact your project
• Costs and funding opportunities

2. Talk to your neighbours

Discuss possible ideas for specific street(s) with your neighbours. Involve as many people as you can because you'll need their support later on.

3. Gather community support

You may be able to get help with recruiting volunteers, securing financial support and more by involving your ward councillor, neighbourhood association, schools, faith communities, businesses or other organizations.

 Create a design

4. Draft a design and share with staff

Based on what you've heard from your neighbours, draft a design - or two! Rough drawings or sketches are okay. City staff will provide feedback on safety and accessibility.

5. Finalize your design

Create a final design, in colour, with enough detail such as approximate measurements, to make your ideas clear and easy to understand.

6. Confirm neighbourhood support

Share the final design and collect signatures of support from your neighbours. Staff will provide a form and explain how many residents need to sign it, depending on your street and project.

 Make it happen

7. Get things ready

Create a list of things that need to be done leading up to installation day, such as purchasing materials, recruiting volunteers or securing funding. Staff will help with all of this!

8. Plan your installation

Sketch out a written and visual description of what will happen on the street for the day of your installation and provide it to staff, so they can arrange a road closure permit.

9. Install and celebrate!

In advance, send everyone involved an update on how things will proceed on installation day. Then make it happen! This is an exciting day. Celebrate with food or music and invite the whole neighbourhood. Have fun!

Things to think about

Tips and tricks

A few tips to consider:

• Remember, your neighbours will want to see your design and discuss how it will look, so be prepared to chat.
• If it's difficult to get in touch with your neighbours, leave a copy of your design in their mailbox with a note that outlines your plan and how to reach you.
• Some traffic calming measures may need to be seasonal or require maintenance by the community. City staff will advise you, if needed.
• If you're hiring a contractor to install your project, you may need a drawing made to scale. City staff can help with this.
• Some streets are managed by the Region of Waterloo and may not qualify for this program. Staff will let you know.
• Don't forget to schedule a rain date for your installation day, just in case.
• Remember to take pictures and share on social media with #lovemyhood!

Safety first

• Remember to think about how your design can improve safety and accessibility for all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motor vehicles.
• Don't forget to have a first aid kit available on the day of your event.
• Plan for the weather on installation day.

Want more ideas?

Here are a few sources of unique ideas happening in other cities.

• Project for Public Spaces
• City of Halifax
• Design of Public Spaces Standards describes the accessibility requirements for outdoor public areas.
• "How to build a better block" includes open source ideas and designs.
• Try Pinterest!

 Frequently Asked Questions