Road Safety

The Town of St. Marys is committed to keeping all users of our road infrastructure safe. A Road Safety Plan (RSP) is in place to help improve the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and drivers on roads, sidewalks and walkways.​​​​​​​​​​​​​

On this page:

1. Community Safety Zone
2. Stonetown Road Watch
3. Bus Safety
4. Traffic By-laws
5. Road Safety Plan

Community Safety Zone

Community Safety Zones are sections of roadway where public safety is of special concern. Community Safety Zones may include roadways near schools, day care centres, playgrounds, parks, hospitals, senior citizen residences, and may also be used for collision prone areas within a community.

The town has established five community safety zones located at: 

• James St. N from Trailside Crt. to Widder St. E 
• James St. S from Elgin St. E to Meadowridge Dr.
• Wellington St. S from Jones St. to Park St.
• Water St. N from St. Maria St. to Front St. 
• Thomas St. from Queen St. to 5 Line

View a detailed map of the Town of St. Marys community safety zones.

Located in three of our community safety zones are pedestrian crossovers. A pedestrian crossover is a designated crossing area that allows pedestrians to easily and safely cross the road.

Stonetown Road Watch

Your voice matters when it comes to making our streets safer. The Stonetown Road Watch initiative is a community-driven project by the Public Works department that empowers residents to report concerns about pedestrian safety, dangerous driving, and other roadway hazards. Whether it's a speeding issue near a school zone, a poorly marked crosswalk, or a recurring traffic violation, we want to hear from you.

By sharing your observations, you help us identify problem areas, prioritize improvements, and work toward a safer, more walkable community for everyone. Submissions are quick, confidential, and reviewed by our Public Works team.

Submit concerns through our online Stonetown Road Watch form.

Bus Safety 

School bus transportation in Ontario is among the safest ways for children to travel, backed by strict provincial safety standards and regular inspections. Here are some bus safety tips and tricks to ensure a safe journey for students. 

• Wait in a safe place well back from the edge of the road - don't play in ditches or on snow banks.
• Always cross the road in front of the bus, never behind.
• Look all ways and wait for the driver to signal before you cross in front of a bus.
• Find a seat right away. Stay seated, facing forward at all times.
• Never distract the bus driver. Always follow their instructions.
• Keep your arms and head inside the bus.

Learn more about how Murphy Bus Lines prioritizes student safety

Traffic By-laws

The Traffic, Parking and Boulevard Maintenance by-law regulates traffic and parking within the limits of the Town of St. Marys.

The following sections can be found in the Traffic, Parking and Boulevard Maintenance by-law and are identified as key information pertaining to road safety:

• Reduced Speed Limit (Section 7 of By-law 51-2023, page 30)
• Community Safety Zone (Section 8 of By-law 51-2023, page 31)
• School Bus Loading Zone (Section 16 of By-law 51-2023, page 46)
• Motorized Snow Vehicle (Section 2 of By-law 51-2023, page 7)
• Off Road Vehicles (Section 2 of By-law 51-2023, page 7)

Road Safety Plan

The Town of St. Marys Road Safety Plan (RSP) provides strategies and inform decisions about to road safety. It is a high-level road safety plan that assesses traffic risks and includes engineering, education and enforcement countermeasures that emphasize the protection of vulnerable road users.

The RSP borrows from Vision Zero and the Safe Systems Approach. These are global initiatives that address the concern of avoidable traffic fatalities and injuries. The goal of the RSP is to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities on Town roads. Town roads are inherently safer than those in other communities due to the low traffic volumes and speed limits in St. Marys. Many aspects of the educational component of the RSP will help residents when they travel outside of Town on higher risk roads with higher operating speeds and traffic volumes.

The responsibility for safe roads is shared amongst all levels of government, vehicle manufacturers, road authorities, healthcare providers and road users. One of the principles of the Safe Systems Approach is that humans make mistakes and transportation systems should accommodate some level of human error to reduce the likelihood of those mistakes resulting in an injury or fatality.

Roads in St. Marys are policed by the Stratford Police Services (SPS) to ensure the safety of residents and compliance with established rules and regulations.

The RSP plan will be updated every 5 years to incorporate best practices.