Photo: Google Street View

The speed limit on Commonage Road is about to increase.

Jolene McLellan has witnessed numerous accidents near her Commonage Road home, and with a speed limit increase on the way, she is bracing for even more.

Currently the speed limit past her home, where she operates Secret Garden Daycare with her mother, is 60 km/h, but on Tuesday, city council agreed to boost the top speed to 70 km/h, despite staff recommendations that it remain the same.

McLellan has lived on the road for more than a decade and said people are already going in excess of the 60 km/h speed limit. She says a legal increase will mean drivers will likely go even faster.

And with winter fast approaching, she fears even more accidents, and injuries, will occur along the road.

Last May, McLellan's parent's beloved dog, Dakota, was struck and killed by a vehicle. She requested the speed limit be reduced at that time and is dismayed it has been increased.

“We've seen so many accidents especially in the winter, and there is speeding as it is,” she said. “If the speed limit is 60 and they are going 70 and 80, when it is 70 they will be going 80 or 90.

“Another big concern is vehicles passing and they will still be doing that, only at faster speeds.”

McLellan has contacted the city, regional district and the province about her concerns.

She has also started an online petition against the increase.

“A speed limit increase on Commonage Rd is a clear safety concern for those that reside on and regularly travel on Commonage Rd. There are numerous blind spots where we feel the speed limit should, in fact, reduce to 50 km/h to reduce the amount of collisions and injuries,” she said on the petition page.

“Snow removal and road maintenance is extremely poor, there are no road or street lights, and there are multiple businesses with incoming and outgoing daily traffic that should be considered. Exiting our residential driveway should not be a life-threatening daily occurrence.”