A group of Saanich community activists gathered on a rainy Saturday (June 10) to celebrate success in their quest to convince the district to lower speed limits on some of its roads.
The advocacy campaign led by Livable Roads for Rural Saanich ultimately swayed the District of Saanich to lower speed limits on nine corridors, with signs installed on Oldfield, southern Old West Saanich, Sparton, and Prospect Lake roads as of late May, with the remaining five corridors expected to have their new speed limit signs installed by fall.
The roads previously had speed limits of 50 km/h, and will now have limits of 40 km/h. The campaign was launched in an effort to make the roads safer and more accessible for active transportation such as bikes and pedestrians.
B次元官网网址淧revious speed limits on our rural roads were dangerous for kids, for cyclists, for everyone. As a family living, walking and driving on these roads, itB次元官网网址檚 a welcome change for Saanich to apply a more appropriate speed limit to these important public spaces. We really hope these limits will be respected and reinforced,B次元官网网址� said area resident Adam Sherk in a news release published by LRRS.
Coun. Colin Plant, who was present at SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 celebration, said the speed reductions are an important first step in increasing road safety for all residents.
He said Saanich councilB次元官网网址檚 next steps involve implementing a B次元官网网址渧ision zero approach,B次元官网网址� an ambitious goal to eliminate all traffic injuries and fatalities, as well as creating SannichB次元官网网址檚 first-ever road safety action plan.
B次元官网网址淐ouncil is supportive of efforts to make our rural roads safer and more conducive for residents to engage in active transportation activities,B次元官网网址� he wrote in a statement to Black Press Media.
While lobbying for reduced speed limits, Old West Saanich Road resident Pam Harrison said the LRRS received more than 200 anecdotal stories from walkers, cyclists and drivers about their experiences and close calls while traveling along the roads.
She said drivers were often tailgated for driving below the speed limit, while cyclists and pedestrians were frequently passed too close, yelled at, or almost hit while turning a blind corner.
Prior to the speed reductions, Harrison said she was one of many residents who simply chose not to use the road on her bike or on foot. Instead, she would put her bike on top of her car and park somewhere where she felt safe to start biking.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not a very confident rider, so I donB次元官网网址檛 want trucks passing me close,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a hard-to-quantify measure of lost opportunity for people who simply donB次元官网网址檛 use the road as a vulnerable user.B次元官网网址�
She said the speed reductions are an important first step and will empower residents to share the road and drive at reasonable speeds.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a statement that people outside of vehicles have value on the road,B次元官网网址� she said.
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