Slower speeds coming to Paris

A newly installed 40 km/h neighbourhood speed sign on West River Street in Paris marks the County of Brant’s rollout of lower speed limits aimed at improving pedestrian and traffic safety.

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

The County of Brant is moving ahead with plans to lower speed limits on neighbourhood roads, with Paris set to see significant changes over the next three years.

As part of the County’s Brant Safe Streets Strategy and Transportation Master Plan, late last year council approved a phased reduction of speed limits on local and collector roads from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. The move follows years of resident concerns about speeding, particularly near schools, and aligns with Ontario’s Safer School Zone Act which allows municipalities to designate lower neighbourhood-wide limits

Paris will see some of the most extensive changes, with 15 neighbourhood areas designated for conversion to 40 km/h zones, and some of those changes are starting to pop up around town now. According to the staff report, these areas span hundreds of individual streets, from older core neighbourhoods like Broadway, Capron and Market Streets to newer subdivisions such as Herriot St, Masters Lane and Newbrook St. 

The transition will be rolled out in stages:

2025: Initial conversions in high pedestrian areas, including Broadway Street, Cobblestone Drive, and the Paris District High School area.

2026: Additional neighbourhoods to follow after monitoring year-one results.

2027: Final 50 per cent of areas completed, with full implementation across Paris and other County communities.

The County cited data from the World Health Organization Pedestrian Safety Manual showing that a vehicle travelling 40 km/h can stop in 27 metres compared to 36 metres at 50 km/h—a nine-metre difference that can mean life or death for pedestrians. Research also shows that lowering speeds to 40 km/h cuts the risk of fatal pedestrian injury from 70 per cent to 29 per cent, according to a staff report. 

County staff noted that the program will include “gateway” signage at entrances to each neighbourhood rather than posting individual speed signs on every street, a move that reduces costs and visual clutter. The total cost of new signs is estimated at $180,000 over three years, with funding already allocated in the roads budget.

While many residents have long pushed for slower speeds in residential areas, staff acknowledged that enforcement could be a challenge and urged voluntary compliance. The Ontario Provincial Police will be asked to monitor the new zones as resources allow.

Once complete, the changes will affect virtually every corner of Paris, from long-established downtown streets to growing subdivisions on the town’s edges. Residents can expect to see the first signs going up in 2025, with a County-wide communication campaign to explain the changes.