Speed reductions are unique for being the only locations where the "50 km/h unless otherwise

posted" rule cannot be applied. If a sign is not observed, it can be argued that you should go 50

km/h, but this doesn't apply at speed reductions due to the earlier presence of a higher (otherwise

posted) speed limit. Therefore, proper speed reduction signing is most essential. Many drivers

appear to not obey speed reductions, but only some of them are intentional violators. So the

question is, why do people not see speed reductions? In many cases, the problem is the signing

and not the drivers. When questioned about signing, the city claims on record to follow the

Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) which is Canada's federal standards

manual.

MUTCD standards indicate that signs should be between 2 and 3 meters high, but Winnipeg's

signs are as low as 0.7 and as high as 4.8 meters. Signs at extreme heights are outside of a

driver's cone of vision and often go unobserved.

Height

Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices Diagrams

Internal City of Winnipeg policy states that signs are to be placed no further than 3 meters back

from the curb. MUTCD standards indicate a distance of 0.3 to 2.0 meters should be used.

Winnipeg's signs are as far off the road as 11 meters and are well outside of a driver's horizontal

line of sight.

Signs are required to be reflective for drivers to observe at night. A large number of Winnipeg's

signs are not reflective and virtually invisible at night.

Horizontal Placement

Reflectivity

The single biggest problem with speed reduction signing is that Winnipeg is the only city in

Western Canada (if not Canada) that does not place speed limit signs on both sides of a divided

road or one-way street.

Dual signing is especially important because of large vehicles in the curb lane blocking sight

lines from cars in the median lane. Due to the rule of, "slower traffic keep right," the larger

vehicles are usually in the curb lane and the faster cars that are most in need of seeing the speed

reduction are in the median lane.

Winnipeg understands the issues with sight lines being blocked because almost every other type

of sign can be found dual signed throughout the city.

Dual Signing

Many signs are also missing or hidden behind trees and other obstructions.

Other cities follow MUTCD standards when placing speed limit signs. Signs are not too high or

too far off the road and are fully reflective. Dual signing is very common in other cities.

Other Problems

Outside Winnipeg

Saskatoon Regina

Calgary Vancouver

Police and photo enforcement largely profit from Winnipeg's signing deficiencies. The "50

unless otherwise" posted rule cannot be applied to speed reductions meaning the drivers being

preyed upon are following the proper driving rules. Many photo radar locations and Winnipeg's

top three producing intersection cameras are all located after speed reductions where the signing

is not MUTCD compliant. Most of the common police speed traps are after speed reductions of

which none are dual signed and most do not comply with placement criteria. Dugald/Plessis,

Kenaston/Carpathia, Roblin/Chalfont and McPhillips/Storie are examples.

The speed reduction sign on Grant Ave was placed well above the 3 meter maximum height and

was preceding Winnipeg's highest producing intersection camera. This issue was covered by

local media which eventually led to the sign being lowered to proper height in May 2012.

After the sign was moved, the effects were immediately felt by the camera. The number of fines

issued for July-Sept 2012 (the first full recording period after the sign was lowered) was 29% of

the numbers recorded for the same period in 2011. The Oct-Dec 2012 stats were even lower

with the camera only issuing 26% of what was recorded in 2011. Needless to say, this is no

longer the city's highest producing speed camera. This shows the effect that properly placed

signs have on speeding and proves the need to fix other signs around the city.

Police and Photo Enforcement Locations

Grant Ave Example

Before After

During the spring of 2011, the speed reduction sign on Brookside Blvd south of the Perimeter

fell over and remained lying in the ditch. During the sign's absence, police conducted daily

speed traps along Brookside Blvd. Public Works were asked to replace the sign, but instead

claimed that they were too busy working on the new Chief Peguis Trail to replace existing signs.

Even though these were City of Winnipeg signs, in Sept 2011, a request was made to the

province for the Highways Dept to install the missing signs. In October, the province installed

larger sized speed reduction signs on both sides of the road. Both are measures never used by

the City of Winnipeg. Once the signs were installed, they were so effective that police speed

traps disappeared and have never been seen there since.

Brookside Blvd Example

Before - Spring 2011 Before - Fall 2011

After - October 2011