Traffic Control

Automated Speed Enforcement Launching Soon

A well-managed and coordinated traffic control system reduces fuel use, travel time, traffic congestion, accidents and pollution. The City uses traffic flow measures to contribute to the safe movement of pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists throughout Barrie.

Speed Limits

Ontario's Ministry of Transportation’s Highway Traffic Act (HTA) sets a default municipal speed limit of 50 km/h on roadways within cities, towns, villages or built-up areas. The HTA grants the City authority to set speed limits; under this legislation, set speed limits range from 40–80 km/h in 10 km/h intervals.

City policy mandates a 40 km/h speed limit in front of elementary schools and for roadways whose geometric design cannot support a 50 km/h or higher limit. On major roads where elementary schools are present, a "40 km/h when flashing" speed limit may be considered.

Speed limits on major roads are influenced by many factors, including:
- Roadway design
- Roadway classification
- Vehicle operating speeds
- Adjacent development
- Collision history
- Pedestrian activity
- Driveway spacing
- Location of signalized intersections

Traffic Signals & Signs

Traffic signals and signs direct the Right-Of-Way (ROW) for motorists and pedestrians by guiding and regulating traffic flow. City crews maintain existing signals and signs and install new ones when approved.

Many factors are considered when coordinating signs and signals, including the distance between signalized intersections, pedestrian traffic, on-street parking, bus stops, traffic volume, speed limit, left-turning traffic, and collision history.

Staff program traffic lights by time of day and day of week to optimize traffic flows throughout Barrie. In addition to responding to the daily changes in traffic, Traffic Services routinely perform a comprehensive review of the timing at each traffic signal. This review considers the increased number of vehicles each year, changes to the roads, new roads, and traffic signals.
Flashing Traffic Signals
While signals are in ‘flash’, motorists are expected to treat them as an all-way stop. If this is an isolated incident and you do not see workers present, please contact Service Barrie with the intersection, time of day and description of the issue: 705-726-4242 or ServiceBarrie@barrie.ca.
Traffic Signals Timing near Construction Zones
Traffic Services modifies the signal timings where construction will last a long duration. The timings are modified to suit the construction but staff must always must be mindful of “Local Traffic,” pedestrians or other users that are permitted to enter and exit the Closed Construction Area (including the cumbersome and slow-moving construction vehicles). It is often not possible to turn the signal off or leave them green indefinitely.
Stop signs are designed to regulate vehicular and pedestrian ROW between two relatively equal roads with similar traffic volume. Ontario-wide criteria are used when evaluating the need for stop sign installation, including traffic volumes, collision history, intersection sightline visibility, and road geometry.
Stop signs installed in the wrong places for the wrong purpose usually create more problems than they solve. Download the all-way stop fact sheet to learn about common misconceptions and the community impacts of unwarranted all-way stops.
Pedestrian crossovers were first installed in Barrie in 2021. Pedestrian crossovers are a type of traffic control that provide a way for pedestrians to cross the road easily and safely. They’re different from crosswalks because they're often at a stretch of road where there is no intersection. Pedestrian crossovers are located on Mapleview Drive East, Elmbrook Drive and Bell Farm Road. Learn the rules for pedestrian crossings.
Pedestrian signals help pedestrians cross at intersections with traffic signals. The signal for pedestrians to walk is a white walking symbol. A flashing or steady orange hand symbol means pedestrians must not begin to cross. A pedestrian facing a walk signal may cross the road in the direction of the signal.
At a traffic signal, the major roadway will have a green signal display and walking man display forever until a vehicle hits the vehicle detector or the pedestrian pushes the button; at that time, the signal will change. This is to make the intersection more efficient and reduce delays for the majority of traffic, and is a typical practice for the minor roadway at traffic signals.
When a vehicle drives over the detector it sends a signal to the cabinet to change and provide roughly 10 seconds of green time; this time will extend if multiple cars arrive, adding 3 seconds to the timing for every vehicle approaching. When a pedestrian pushes the button, this switches, giving the maximum amount of pedestrian time available.
Forcing the pedestrian to push the button (as outlined on these signs at applicable intersections) guarantees the maximum amount of walking time to begin crossing on a fresh walking man display. If the signal came up automatically for the minor streets, it may be on for 5 seconds already so if the pedestrian begins to cross, he/she will not make it in time.
Image

Report Concern with Traffic Signal or Sign

Traffic Calming

Traffic calming is the installation of physical measures to alter negative motorist driving behaviour. The objective: achieve uniform driving patterns at reduced speeds on roads where lower speeds enhance safety and livability in neighbourhoods. Traffic-calmed streets improve residents’ quality of life and increase safety for active transportation.

Effective traffic calming measures include radar speed advisory boards, road diets, speed cushions, bollard islands, and bollard chicanes. A stop sign is not a speed control device; stop signs allocate right-of-way travel at intersections. When used for speed control drivers may generally disobey the sign and do not stop, which is extremely dangerous.

Please refer to the Traffic Calming Policy to learn about the City’s overall approach to traffic calming.
As a next step to the 2021 road safety public consultation, City staff are working on a review of the City's traffic calming policy to develop a strategy in addition to traffic calming measures. This will include a review of posted speed limits within residential local roadways in consultation with Barrie Police Service. The review of the City's policy is scheduled to be complete by late 2023.
Permanent speed cushions on City streets are located at these locations:
- Ward 1 – Cheltenham Road - West of Sydenham Wells
- Ward 2 – Codrington Street – 146/150
- Ward 3 – Hanmer Street East (resurfacing 2022) – 149/151
- Ward 4 – Hanmer Street West – 133/135
- Ward 5 – Pringle Drive – 51/61
- Ward 6 – Summerset Drive – 150/152
- Ward 7 – Mapleton Avenue – 12/14
- Ward 8 – Holgate Street –57
- Ward 9 – Loon Avenue – 88/90
- Ward 10 – The Queensway – 105/107
Considerations for Emergency Vehicles, Buses, and Plows
When speed cushions are placed properly, cars cannot straddle them but emergency vehicles with wider custom chassis can.
When determining the location of speed cushions throughout Barrie, transit routes are one of the considerations in the overall assessment. Where possible the City will not install speed cushions on transit routes. However, in a case where installation is deemed necessary for traffic calming, buses would slow down and approach the bumps just as a car would.
Like other vehicles, plows must reduce speeds over permanent speed cushions during winter maintenance activities on Barrie's roads. The slope is gradual, so plows can slide over the asphalt cushions and follow the contour without having the edges dig in. The City's Operations department has ensured the safety of staff and also confirmed there are no concerns regarding damage to municipal vehicles.
Flexible bollards are placed to narrow travel lanes and encourage motorists to slow down. They are used in two ways:
1. To create lane narrowing features, flexible bollards are placed adjacent to the curb lane and on the centerline of the road.
2. To create curb bump outs, flexible bollards are placed adjacent to the curb.
View Latest Bollard Locations
Planters are placed to narrow travel lanes and encourage motorists to slow down. They are used in two ways:
1. To create median islands, planters are placed on the centerline of the road.
2. To create curb bump outs, planters are placed adjacent to the curb.
To ensure motorist safety, associated traffic signs are installed with planters.
View Latest Planter Locations
Staff work alongside Ward Councillors and residents to determine exact radar speed board locations. These boards can be relocated throughout the year to help staff analyze traffic data and notify motorists of their speeds.
View Current Radar Speed Board Location Info
Radar speed boards provide a visual queue to educate motorists to help reduce their operating speeds. Statistics gathered from Barrie’s radar speed boards show that vehicle speeds are reduced by an average of 6–10 km/hr in areas where the boards are present.
The radar speed boards also allow staff to collect information regarding vehicle speeds and daily traffic volumes. This data can then be used to provide detailed information to assist in recommendations to address operational and safety concerns. This information and data can be provided to Barrie Police Service regarding peak hours for evidence-based enforcement to help increase efficiencies.
If you have speeding concerns in your neighbourhood, these can be reported via Barrie Police Service’s online reporting tool.

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE)

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) is a system that uses speed cameras to enforce speed limits. Speed cameras are an affordable way to enforce speed limits, slow down motorists and improve public safety.

ASE cameras are scheduled to go live and begin issuing tickets the week of November 27, 2023. Two cameras were installed during the week of November 13 and are currently in testing mode. Motorists may notice a camera flash going off, but the cameras are not actively enforcing the speed limit yet. More information will be shared when the cameras are live.

There is a very simple way to avoid getting a ticket—don’t speed. Please slow down and help keep our communities safe.

In Barrie, ASE cameras are located in certain Community Safety Zones near schools where speeding is a risk to more vulnerable residents, our children.
A Community Safety Zone is an area designated through the Community Safety Zones By-law passed by Council to identify it as a road segment of higher risk or concern. Certain Highway Traffic Act fines (including speeding) are doubled in Community Safety Zones and many Community Safety Zones are located close to schools.
Community Safety Zones have been identified for the ASE program based on data collected showing areas where drivers are regularly going over the posted limit. Two cameras are installed and will be rotated to different Community Safety Zones every few months.
On August 21, 2023, “coming soon” warning signs were installed in areas of the city where ASE cameras are now placed. These signs must be posted for at least 90 days before the ASE is activated, providing drivers with advance notice.
"Testing" signs were installed the week of November 13, 2023, to inform drivers that the cameras are being tested and are not yet actively enforcing the speed limit.
Once the speed cameras go live, the coming soon and testing signs will be replaced by a “Municipal Speed Camera in Use" sign. Cameras will be active only when this sign is posted.
Image

ASE Camera Locations

ASE is scheduled to go live the week of November 27, 2023. Tickets are not yet being issued. To start, two cameras are installed. The cameras will be rotated to different community safety zones every few months.

The ASE Certificates of Accuracy have been made available above for disclosure in respect to certain provincial offences.
Location #1	Eastbound on Big Bay Point Road near Willow Landing and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic elementary schools. Antenna Serial Number: 0x0003AE0B Download the Certificate of Accuracy for Location #1
Location #2	Southbound on Anne Street North near Portage View Public and ÉSC Nouvelle-Alliance schools. Antenna Serial Number: 0x0003ACF0 Download the Certificate of Accuracy for Location #2

- The camera is triggered by a threshold speed; threshold speeds and camera operational hours will not be disclosed.
- The ASE camera captures only still images of the licence plate. Video is not captured.
- The ASE camera is just as accurate at detecting speed as traditional speed measurement devices used by police.
- If a vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit in an ASE area, the camera captures an image that is stored and reviewed by a provincial offences officer.
- The ASE cameras capture licence plates of all vehicles exceeding the posted speed limit.
The ticket will include the image taken by the ASE camera and an enlargement of the plate portion. It is mailed to the registered plate holder at the address on file with the Province. The ticket will arrive within 30 days after the violation occurs.
The penalty is only a fine. Tickets issued via ASE don’t result in demerit points.
Like speeding tickets issued by police officers, the fine will be based on how much the driver was exceeding the speed limit. Fines are set by the Ontario Court of Justice Chief Judge and listed in Schedule D Highway Traffic Act Speeding – Community Safety Zone. Fines are doubled in community safety zones, even if the violation occurred outside school hours.
Emergency vehicles must comply with the provisions of the Highway Traffic Act regarding exceeding the speed limit (see Section 128). According to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, section 128 (13) speed limits do not apply “to a police department vehicle being used in the lawful performance of a police officer’s duties.” Emergency circumstances would have to be proven (ie. call log or other documentation).
There are options for ticket payment or response to the provincial offence.
How the Funds are Used
- The municipality uses the funds from the fine payments to offset the costs of the ASE program (cameras leases, signs, Provincial Offences Officers, office and miscellaneous expenses).
- The victim fine surcharge portion is submitted to the Province like any other ticket offence. The municipality retains any net fine revenue, after expenses.
- If there is a surplus of revenue over expenses, these funds will be reinvested by the City back into the ASE program or other road safety initiatives.

Traffic Monitoring

Staff monitor all major roadways daily to minimize traffic delays and disruption, using traffic signal software, video, and GPS technology to continuously monitor signals and flow along Barrie's major arterial and collector routes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Traffic signals are timed to move the maximum number of vehicles through an intersection and along a corridor in the safest and most efficient manner. Many factors add to the difficulty of minimizing stop-and-go traffic in all directions: closely spaced signals; intersections where major streets cross; changes in traffic volume; traffic collisions; emergency vehicles; roadwork; and weather.
Please note: BFES vehicles have the ability to change the signal to green or hold the green. This can disrupt timing patterns for up to 10 minutes after a fire vehicle has left the intersection.
Requests for road signs and/or signals are to be directed to the ward councillor. Please email your councillor to express interest (see Council contact information).
Councillors may provide direct motions through the Clerk's Office for consideration of City Council, due to the amount of staff time required to complete and implement requests.
Please note that all new signal or sign installations are subject to the Province of Ontario’s signal justification process. Several criteria are reviewed when determining if a new signal or sign is justified, including one or more of the following:
- All-way stops
- No parking
- New traffic signals
- New pedestrian crosswalks/pedestrian signals
- New advanced arrows at signalized intersections
- New speed limits / community safety zones
- Intersection traffic volumes
- Delay to cross traffic
- Collision history
- Pedestrian volume
- Pedestrian delay

Alert

Overnight Parking Restrictions In Effect

Traffic Control

Automated Speed Enforcement Launching Soon

Speed Limits

Traffic Signals & Signs

Flashing Traffic Signals

Traffic Signals Timing near Construction Zones

Traffic Calming

Considerations for Emergency Vehicles, Buses, and Plows

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE)

How the Funds are Used

Traffic Monitoring

Frequently Asked Questions

Overnight Parking Restrictions In Effect

Traffic Control

Automated Speed Enforcement Launching Soon

Spee​​d Limits

Traffic Signals & Signs

Traffic Calming

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE)

Traffic Monitoring

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Files

Related Links

Speed Limits