I live in Sault Ste. Marie, ON with my 2 small children. Like many families in our community, we walk to school each day, navigating through a school zone that is unnecessarily dangerous due to its heavy traffic and high speed limits. As a concerned parent and a member of this community, I am urging for an urgent change in our local traffic regulations. Specifically, I propose to reduce the current 4-lane traffic to just 2 lanes on Wellington St E from Shannon Road to Lake St and also to decrease the area's speed limit to 40km/hr. There are cars that constantly race up the street. There is one crosswalk but it is in a poor spot over a hill and with the high rate of speed in the area it would be difficult to slow down in that zone. 

According to the World Health Organization, reducing speed limits in residential areas and near schools can result in up to a 40% decrease in road accidents. In a study from Ryerson University, it's also shown that reducing traffic lanes does not necessarily increase congestion, but indeed creates safer conditions for pedestrians.

In name of all parents and residents who worry every day about their children's safety on these streets, I am pleading our local representatives and the City of Sault Ste. Marie to take this issue seriously. We need a safer community for our children, families and all residents. Please support this cause and sign this petition to make a change that will have a significant and positive impact in the lives of our community members.