The Cranbrook in Motion Committee recommended that council add electronic vehicle activated traffic calming signs (EVTCS) to the 2014 and subsequent budget discussions. The other recommendation was that council send a letter to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure requesting that planned improvements to Victoria Avenue and 13th Street South be considered a priority project and proceed in a timely fashion.
Coun. Denise Pallesen said that the budget for the EVTCS is not very much.
"It was felt by the committee and ICBC engineers that it might be beneficial in bringing to the attention to folks of the speeds that they're going," Pallesen said. "It's not going to ticket them or anything like that, it's just for an awareness that they are above the speed limit."
Pallesen said the other thing to note were complaints about speeding in the area around Baker Mountain Road and 2nd Street South in a zone that changes from 60 km to the municipal 50 km limit.
Pallesen said that RCMP monitored the area for speeders at one point.
"There were very few speeding vehicles that passed the fellow," she said.
Pallesen hopes that the city will be able to put a traffic calming sign up there at some point.
"I think it's always an issue when you're going from a higher to a slightly lower speed inside the city limits - it's easy not to slow down."
The city had been looking at EVTCS signs that plug into existing or modified light fixtures, but Coun. Sharon Cross brought up the portable solar versions seen in construction zones.
CAO Wayne Staudt said that cheapest versions on the ones that are not portable. The solar and portable ones are more expensive.
Pallesen also talked about the second recommendation - sending the letter to MOTI regarding the Victoria and 13th Street improvements.
"That's the odd little corner right up by Kootenay Orchards School," she said. "People aren't sure which way they should be going when they slow down."
Pallesen said it has been on the ministry's docket for quite some time. The problem that is delaying it is that the ministry has to acquire some property to make it a wider corner. They would also need to put up correct signage and other things to make sure that the correct direction of travel is obvious.
Pallesen said the improvements have been on their list for at least four and a half years, which is why the Cranbrook in Motion committee would like the letter of support.
Council voted in favour of the recommendations.