The Town of Blackfalds recently passed a new Traffic Bylaw last week, with the big highlight being the reduction of the speed limit throughout town down to 40km an hour, with a few exceptions.

Mayor Richard Poole said they held a series of public hearings regarding this matter as well as the debate raging on through community Facebook groups, and although they did receive some pushback regarding the speed limit reduction, he says this is something they've been hearing about for quite some time.

“We looked at the entire thing and we’ve been talking to a lot of constituents throughout the year, and when we were on the campaign last year we heard a lot of questions about how we could lower the speed limit, and we thought this was the most cost-effective way to do it.”

Mayor Poole says they've heard residents talking about reducing the speed limit since he was on the campaign trail for mayor back in 2017, and they were able to get the ball rolling on late last year.

“It started back in the fall, it came from the Policing Committee, went to Standing Committee, and then in November council passed a motion that they wish to move ahead with changing of the speed limit in November, and that was passed unanimously. We looked at putting it into the entire bylaw because that’s the only effective way of making a change like this.”

They also changed the school and playground zone end times to one after sunset, from 9 pm.

Mayor Poole says traffic enforcement officers will offer leeway to drivers for the first little bit as they adjust to the new speed limits.

South Street, Vista Trail, Broadway Ave north of Womacks Road, and Cottonwood Drive are exempt from this new law and will remain at 50km an hour.

For all other changes in the new Blackfalds Traffic Bylaw, you can click here to see the complete Traffic Bylaw 1232/19.