2025 Project Update
City Council at its meeting of May 25, 2021, approved Report IPSTR21-007 establishing a City-wide Traffic Calming Policy. This policy outlines the process for traffic calming on neighbourhood streets. Since the implementation of this policy, City staff have received many applications for traffic calming from residents across the City. In February 2025, while considering the 2025 City Budget, Council had some difficult financial decisions to make and voted not to support funding for the 2025 Traffic Calming Program. This resulted in the suspension of work on new and existing applications.
City staff are continuing to accept requests for Traffic Calming. These requests will remain on file and will be reviewed according to the Policy at a later date when the program is funded and operational.
The Traffic Calming Policy and Traffic Calming Request Form can be found at the Calm Streets PTBO project website at the following link:
https://www.connectptbo.ca/trafficcalming
What is Calm Streets PTBO?
Calm Streets PTBO is the project name for the City of Peterborough's Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Policy. The Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Policy is intended to aid the municipality in identifying and prioritizing eligible locations for traffic calming and provide guidance on the application of traffic calming measures.
The policy is intended to improve safety, especially for more vulnerable roads users like pedestrians and cyclists, and reduce aggressive driving behaviour in local neighbourhoods to improve liveability. Accordingly, traffic calming is intended for use on existing and future Local Streets, Low Capacity Collectors, and High Capacity Collectors in residential neighbourhoods within Peterborough.
Background
The Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Policy was approved by City Council in May of 2021. The policy document was created in conjunction with five pilot projects, one in each ward of the City. Additional information on these pilot projects as well as on the policy can be found at connectptbo.ca/trafficcalming.
Neighbourhood traffic calming eligible locations
All locations are eligible for some type of traffic calming measures. Physical traffic calming measures are only available for local roads, low capacity collector roads, and high capacity collector roads which pass the initial screening criteria. Arterial roads and other roads which do not pass the initial screening criteria are restricted to education and enforcement measures only. The map of arterial and collector roadways can be used to determine what type of measures are appropriate for your street.
Traffic calming measures
Traffic calming measures are broken down into 9 different categories:
- Vertical deflection
- Horizontal deflection
- Roadway narrowing
- Surface treatment
- Pavement markings
- Access restrictions
- Gateways
- Shared spaces
- Enforcement and education
The Traffic Calming Toolbox provided in the Appendix A of the Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Policy details the measures available and any restrictions which may apply to your neighbourhood.
Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Study process
A study request goes through a seven-stage process. The two documents linked below detail the process and the assessments must go through.
The Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Study Process provides an overview of the seven steps each request has to go through before a permanent solution is installed in your neighbourhood.
The Detailed Process provides additional details on the process. Any questions concerning the process can be directed to calmstreetsptbo@peterborough.ca.
