To report a non-emergency traffic concern or request more information about traffic signals and signage in Richmond Hill, email traffic.inquiries@richmondhill.ca.
Traffic Safety and Operations Strategy
The City’s Traffic Safety and Operations Strategy aims to address road safety in the community. The strategy contains new and enhanced policies and programs for the City to manage traffic-related issues, including proactive city-wide screening of streets to identify and prioritize areas of concern, implementing traffic calming measures based on data and more.
Traffic calming locations were selected based on a data driven and evidence-based network screening exercise which involved reviewing all Richmond Hill roads including all available volume, speed, historical collision data, and locations with high pedestrian presence. The locations were scored and prioritized based on risk factors associated with fatal and injury collisions and other roadway operating conditions to ensure that traffic calming is implemented in a consistent and equitable manner throughout the city.
Network screening for traffic calming will continue to take place, with the goal of adding new locations in the future.
In 2024, 18 locations, three in each ward, were selected based on the results of the City's network screening exercise, to be part of the initial traffic calming implementation.
As part of the 2025 traffic calming implementation, 18 locations, three in each ward, have been selected based on the results of the City's network screening exercise.
These locations were approved by Council in November 2024.
The following locations have been approved for a speed limit reduction from 50 km/h to 40 km/h and will be implemented in 2025:
Street
From
To
Arten Avenue
Regent Street
Creekview Avenue
Betony Drive
Brockdale Street
Glade Drive
Blackforest Drive
Regatta Avenue
Yonge Street
Centre Street East
Bayview Avenue
Yonge Street
Creekview Avenue
Arten Avenue
Elgin Mills Road West
Farmstead Road
Bayview Avenue
Forestwood Street
Glade Drive
Betony Drive
Heron Hollow Avenue
Glenarden Crescent
Strathearn Avenue
Strathearn Avenue
Leyburn Avenue
Brookside Road
Nine Mile Lane
McCallum Drive
Bathurst Street
Don Head Village Boulevard
Okanagan Drive
Carrville Road
Shaw Boulevard
Selwyn Road
Gamble Road
Jefferson Sideroad
Springbrook Drive
Bayview Avenue
Grey Alder Avenue
Stephen Street
Shaw Boulevard
Weldrick Road West
Strathearn Avenue
16th Avenue
Spadina Road
Sunset Beach Road
Eastern limit of Sunset Beach Road
Yonge Street
Worthington Avenue
Bloomington Road
Yonge Street
Pedestrian Crossovers
The following locations have been identified for the installation of pedestrian crossovers for design and construction in 2025 and 2026:
Crosby Avenue at Osiris Drive
Alhart Crescent at Tower Hill Road
Kingshill Road at Maggy Avenue/Selleck Drive
Don Head Village Boulevard at Marsh Street
Farmstead Road between Shell Court and Shirley Drive
Toporowski Avenue at Manorheights Street
North Lake Road at Old Bayview Road
Canyon Hill Avenue at Leyburn Avenue
Blackforest Drive at Greyfriars Avenue
Jefferson Forest Drive at Wings Gate Avenue
Castle Rock Drive at Mayvern Crescent
Goode Street at Primont Drive
Neal Drive at McConvey Drive
If a specific street was not selected, please email traffic.inquiries@richmondhill.ca and staff will include the location in the next network screening. Please note that not all locations are suitable for traffic calming, due to factors, including but not limited to roadway grade, geometry, traffic volumes or roadways passing through exclusively rural or industrial areas.
Traffic Safety Measures
If you would like a specific street assessed for traffic calming as part of the next network screening, email traffic.inquiries@richmondhill.ca.
Below are examples of traffic safety measures offered by the City.
A pedestrian crossover is a protected crossing that requires motorists (vehicles and bicycles) to yield to pedestrians within the crosswalk. Pedestrian crossovers can be found at intersections or midblocks.
Radar message boards are used to increase road and safety awareness of drivers in the community. The radar on the board is aimed at oncoming traffic and records the speed of the vehicle, displaying it on the board so drivers can see how fast they are travelling and if they are over the speed limit.
Flexible bollards are implemented to encourage slower speeds. They can be placed in the middle of the roadway and on the sides near each curb, to create a narrowing effect to slow down traffic. The bollards are designed to flex upon impact to allow emergency vehicles to drive over them, if necessary.
A Community Safety Zone (CSZ) is a designated section of the roadway where public safety is of special concern. Community Safety Zones are marked with "BEGINS" and "ENDS" tabs along with the CSZ signs to identify the boundaries of the zone. The purpose is to encourage slower speeds to improve public safety through the designated areas. All fines received within the designated CSZ, including speeding, are doubled.
Traffic Circles
Traffic circles are raised islands in the centre of an intersection. They slow down travel speeds, reduce the chance of accidents and discourage traffic from taking short-cuts through residential neighbourhoods.
There are 32 points in a standard intersection where conflicts can happen between vehicles. There are also 24 conflict points between vehicle and pedestrians within a standard intersection. A traffic circle reduces that number to only eight vehicle to vehicle conflict points and eight conflict points between vehicle and pedestrians.
Request for specific street assessed for traffic calming will be reviewed once an email is submitted to traffic.inquiries@richmondhill.ca and you'll hear from us within 2 business days.
To report a non-emergency traffic concern or request more information about traffic signals and signage in Richmond Hill, email traffic.inquiries@richmondhill.ca. You will hear from us within 2 business days.
