Media Release: Collaborative road safety strategies remain a priority in Lincoln to keep community safe
Lincoln, ON – (July 7, 2022) – The Town of Lincoln continues to partner with upper levels of government and agencies as part of its ongoing efforts to keep Lincoln’s roads safe and reduce truck traffic in core areas of the community.
Truck Bypass Camera Monitoring Pilot Project
The Town, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and the Niagara Region, developed the Truck Bypass Camera Monitoring Pilot Project implementation plan, which was approved by the Town’s Committee of the Whole on July 4. Based on MTO enforcement feedback and findings from the ongoing “Project Avoidance” Truck Safety Blitzes, the main east/west bypass route for trucks avoiding the Vineland Truck Inspection Station has been identified along King Street.
The purpose of a pilot approach is to allow the Town in partnership with MTO to pilot the Truck Bypass Camera Monitoring in focused areas within the Town to reduce the number of unnecessary trucks (bypass truck traffic) travelling through urban cores, such as downtown Beamsville.
The pilot program utilizes innovative surveillance technology to capture large truck images and corresponding license plate reader information to which the MTO enforcement officers will have remote access. In addition, the camera monitoring technology will also be able to alert MTO enforcement officers that the same truck that just exited the QEW at Victoria Avenue (camera 1) is now turning right on King Street (camera 2) from the Victoria Avenue intersection heading westbound towards Beamsville, thus being a potential bypass truck.
Town Council and staff encourage residents to continue to help identify any areas of concern in our community; these will be monitored and considered during potential future program expansion.
On April 15, 2019, Council passed a resolution regarding truck safety in Lincoln; an essential action item being to begin scale/inspection station avoidance enforcement blitzes as soon as possible. The Truck Bypass Monitoring Pilot Project aligns with the Speed Reduction Program and Transportation Master Plan.
Speed Reduction Motions on Regional Roads in Lincoln
Also in recent meetings, both Town Council and the Niagara Region Public Works Committee have passed motions to investigate opportunities to reduce speeds on several Regional roads in Lincoln.
The first motion was moved by Ward Councillor Lynn Timmers and passed by Town of Lincoln Council at its May 30 meeting, and requested that Regional Transportation provide a report back to Town Council in areas of data analysis for traffic and speed reductions with respect to Fly Road east of Campden past the firehall, and in Vineland, west of Victoria Road past Cherry Avenue.
The subsequent motion was moved by Regional Councillor Foster and passed at the Niagara Region Public Works Committee on June 14.
