Driving & Traffic

Automated Speed Enforcement

To increase road safety, Hamilton has signed on to be one of the participating municipalities to implement Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) technology in designated school and community safety zones.

ASE is an automated system that uses a camera and a speed measurement device to enforce speed limits.  The ASE tool, when used in collaboration with other methods such as engineering, education and enforcement is used to help improve road user safety by increasing speed compliance, altering driver behaviour and increasing public awareness about the critical need to slow down in designated school zones and community safety zones.

 Automated Speed Enforcement is proven to effectively enforce speed limits, increase driver awareness and decrease injuries and fatalities as a result of motor vehicle collisions in other Canadian provinces and countries around the world.

On January 13, 2020, Council directed staff to initiate a one-year automated speed enforcement pilot program to be used in designated school zones and community safety zones through the City of Hamilton. The program supports the City of Hamilton Vision Zero Action Plan and the principles of Vision Zero to reduce speeds and overall injuries as a result of motor vehicle collisions.

The City of Hamilton has activated its Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras and began issuing tickets to speeding drivers on October 1, 2020.

Automated Speed Enforcement Evaluation Results

Bellagio Avenue - Fletcher to Keystone (PDF, 158 KB)

  • The speed limit on Bellagio Avenue was 50 km/h when the pre-enforcement data was collected, and was reduced to 30 km/h before enforcement took place as part of the City’s Neighbourhood Speed Limit Program. Compliance to the reduced 30 km/h school zone limit will likely increase once the program has been completed on a city-wide scale, as Bellagio Avenue was one of the first streets in the city to be designated a 30 km/h school zone;
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 11 km/h in the eastbound direction and 2 km/h in the westbound direction.

Broker Drive between Kingslea Drive and Brentwood Drive  (PDF, 144 KB)

  • Broker Drive between Kinglsea Drive and Brentwood Drive has indicated a 21.2% increase and a 2.5% decrease in speed compliance in the westbound and eastbound directions, respectively;
  • The average speed reduced 4 km/h in the westbound direction;
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 3 km/h in the eastbound direction and 8 km/h in the westbound direction.

Gage Avenue - Cannon to Beechwood (PDF, 148 KB)

  • Gage Avenue between Cannon Street and Beechwood Avenue has indicated a 1.6% and 7.5% decrease in speed compliance in the northbound and southbound directions, respectively.
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 2 km/h in the northbound direction.

Glancaster Road - Rymal to Twenty (PDF, 145 KB)

  • Glancaster Road between Rymal Road and Twenty Road has indicated a 13.4% and 23.4% increase in speed limit compliance in the northbound and southbound directions, respectively;
  • The average speed reduced 6 km/h in both the northbound and southbound direction;
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 9 km/h in the northbound direction and 7 km/h in the southbound direction.

Harvest Road - Tews Lane to Forest Avenue (PDF, 129 KB)

  • Harvest Road between Tews Lane and Forest Avenue has indicated a 22.6% and 17.3% decrease in speed compliance in the eastbound and westbound directions, respectively.
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 2 km/h in the westbound direction. 

Lawrence Road - Cochrane to Mount Albion (PDF, 139 KB)

  • Lawrence Road between Cochrane Avenue and Mount Albion Road has indicated an 8% and 3.1% increase in speed compliance in the eastbound and westbound directions, respectively;
  • The average speed and the 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 2 km/h in the eastbound direction. 

Lawrence Road - Gage to Ottawa (PDF, 146 KB)

  • Lawrence Road between Gage Avenue and Ottawa Street has indicated a 64.1% and 31.2% increase in speed compliance in the eastbound and westbound directions, respectively;
  • The average speed reduced 6 km/h in both the eastbound and westbound direction;
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 8 km/h in the eastbound direction and 7 km/h in the westbound direction.

Lewis Road - Barton to Highway 8 (PDF, 146 KB)

  • Lewis Road between Barton Street and Highway 8 has indicated a 29.2% and 20.1% increase in speed compliance in the northbound and southbound directions, respectively;
  • The average speed reduced 12 km/h in the northbound direction and 7 km/h in the southbound direction;
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 10 km/h in the northbound direction and 6 km/h in the southbound direction.

Lottridge Street - Cannon to Beechwood (PDF, 145 KB)

  • Lottridge Street between Cannon Street and Beechwood Avenue has indicated a 0.5% and 3.4% increase in speed compliance in the northbound and southbound directions, respectively.
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 2 km/h in the northbound direction and 1 km/h in the southbound direction.

Stone Church Road - Dartnall to Pritchard (PDF, 162 KB)

  • Stone Church Road East between Dartnall Road and Pritchard Road has indicated a 36.4% increase in speed limit compliance in the westbound direction;
  • The average speed and the 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 8 km/h in the westbound direction.

Trinity Church - Rymal Road to Golf Club Road  (PDF, 144 KB)

  • Trinity Church Road between Rymal Road and Golf Club Road has indicated a 28.8% and 5.2% decrease in speed compliance in the northbound and southbound directions, respectively;
  • The average speed reduced 1 km/h in the southbound direction;
  • The 85th percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) reduced 4 km/h in the southbound direction.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

ASE, also referred to as an automated system that uses a camera and a speed measurement device to enforce speed limits, is a speed enforcement tool that uses technology to help make roads safer for all road users. An ASE system captures and records images of vehicles travelling in excess of the posted speed limit in school zones and community safety zones with tickets issued to the registered plate holder regardless of who was driving. This will result in a monetary fine, but no demerit points will be applied.

The Highway Traffic Act only authorizes the use of ASE in school zones and community safety zones.

Updated list of locations and implementation dates:

  • Stone Church Road between Dartnall Road and Pritchard Road - October 2020
  • Glancaster Road between Rymal Road and Twenty Road - November 2020
  • Bellagio Drive between Fletcher Road and Keystone Crescent - December 2020
  • Lawrence Road between Gage Avenue and Ottawa Street - January 2021
  • Lawrence Road between Cochrane Ave and Mt Albion Road - Feb 2021
  • Lewis Road between Barton Street and Highway 8 - March 2021
  • Trinity Church Road between Guyatt Road and Dickenson Road - April 2021 (first 2 weeks of month)
  • Broker Drive between Kingslea Drive and Brentwood Drive - April 2021 (second 2 weeks of month)
  • Harvest Road between Tews Lane and Forest Avenue - May 2021 (first 2 weeks of month)
  • Lottridge Street between Cannon Street and Beechwood Avenue - May 2021 (second 2 weeks of month)
  • Gage Avenue between Cannon St and Beechwood Avenue - June 2021 (first 2 weeks of month)
  • Hunter Street between James Street and Wellington Street - June 2021 (second 2 weeks of month)
  • Mountain Brow Boulevard between Broker Drive and Mohawk Road - July 2021 (first 2 weeks of month)
  • Main Street between Parkside Drive and John Street - July 2021 (second 2 weeks of month)
  • Second Street between Charles Street and King Street - August 2021 (first 2 weeks of month)
  • Regional Road 56 between Golf Club Road and Guyatt Road -  August 2021 (second 2 weeks of month)
  • Greenhill Ave between Quigley Rd and Mt. Albion - September 2021 (first 2 weeks of month)
  • Highway 5 between Harrisburg Rd and Troy Rd - September 2021 (second 2 weeks of month)

Download a full list of locations and their scheduled installations (PDF, 58KB)

A school zone is an area of road in close proximity to a school. School zones are designated by by-law passed by municipal councils as described in the Highway Traffic Act. Typically, school zones have reduced speed limits that are put into effect, either by time of day or 24/7, within 150 metres in front of a school.

A community safety zone is an area designated through a by-law passed by a municipal council to identify it as a road segment of higher risk or concern. Certain Highway Traffic Act fines (including speeding) are doubled in community safety zones and many community safety zones are located close to schools.

In May 2017, Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act was amended to introduce the use of ASE in municipalities to address ongoing issues with speeding in school zones and community safety zones.

Operating speeds within school zones are typically lower than other road segments, however, the risks are much higher. Speeding around schools puts the lives of our most vulnerable people at unnecessary risk and ASE is designed to slow drivers down and keep our neighbourhoods safe.

No. Each municipality in Ontario is determining, based on the needs of its community, whether to implement ASE. Many municipalities are moving ahead with this new speed enforcement tool because they have identified it is an efficient and effective tool to help reduce speed in school zones and community safety zones.

Municipalities are taking a data-driven approach to identifying where to place ASE in their communities. Municipalities across Ontario capture speed data in their communities on a regular basis and this data is now being used to identify exactly where speed is a factor in road and pedestrian safety in school zones and community safety zones, and where ASE can be implemented to help make a difference for those municipalities who choose to implement it.

ASE is one of many speed enforcement methods that is used, along with engineering activities, education initiatives and police enforcement, to increase safety in areas with vulnerable populations such as school zones and community safety zones.

While traditional enforcement will still be used, ASE is a complementary method that enables police officers to focus on other critical and time-sensitive tasks. Through ASE, incidents of speeding can be detected on an ongoing and consistent basis, ensuring that school children and other road users always feel safe, not just during traffic blitzes. Using ASE consistently also lends to altering driver behaviour for ongoing road safety.

ASE is about safety and transparency and clear signage will be posted within each school zone and community safety zone where a system is in place and active. There will also be signs installed prior to the issuance of tickets to let motorists know that these systems will be installed in the near future.

No. As speed limits are not guidelines – they are the law – there is no need to disclose threshold speeds. Driving at the posted limit will ensure a ticket is not issued.

ASE is just as accurate at detecting speed as traditional speed measurement devices used by police.

Additional information

www.aseontario.com
Automated Speed Enforcement certificate of accuracy