Speed bumps

Saint John is expanding its traffic‑calming program with new speed cushions on several neighbourhood streets.

The city says the latest installations are on Champlain Drive, Mountain Road and Kennebecasis Drive.

In a public notice, the city said the cushions are placed only on streets where speeding meets the criteria in its Traffic Calming Policy.

Temporary signs have been set up to alert drivers, and permanent signs and pavement markings will be added in the coming weeks.

More cushions are also planned for Hawthorne Avenue.

The measures have reduced average vehicle speeds on local streets by about nine kilometres an hour, according to the city.

The city says that drop in speed has lowered the risk of collisions by 28 per cent.

The city also stated that the demand for traffic‑calming measures has grown sharply, with public requests increasing by more than 400 per cent over the last five years compared to the previous four‑year period.

That rise in requests has contributed to the city’s increased focus on traffic‑calming initiatives, including the use of speed cushions.