Residents near Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood, who are concerned about increasing traffic volumes and speeding in the area, are calling on the City to take action.
For the last several years, residents on Milburn Drive, Lagoon Road and Ocean Boulevard have seen an increasing number of cars speeding through the area going anywhere from 10 kilometres to 40 kilometres an hour over the posted 40 km/h speed limit.
Many use the area as a cut through to avoid Metchosin Road.
B次元官网网址淭he thing that blows me away is the risk that people take,B次元官网网址 said Cynthia Albers, who lives on Milburn Drive and has been passed multiple times while driving the speed limit on her road.
B次元官网网址淩esidents are trying to get through to council that itB次元官网网址檚 becoming dangerous and what is it going to take?B次元官网网址
RELATED: Residents near Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood are concerned about speeding
In May 2017, Colwood council passed a recommendation to have city engineers look into the concerns and prepare a report on traffic volumes, speeding and pedestrian safety in the area. Speed readers were also installed in June to help gather information.
According to the City, staff are compiling and analyzing the speed reader data and a study on traffic calming will be mailed to residents in the surrounding area before the end of April. The CityB次元官网网址檚 traffic calming policy states that measures will only be considered if 50 per cent of the surveys are returned, and 75 per cent of returned surveys must endorse a specific measure for the City to proceed with the work.
But residents are hoping to see the information from the speed readers before the survey goes out to help inform their decisions.
B次元官网网址淲e need to know that information before a survey goes out so that we can mull that over,B次元官网网址 said Albers, adding the speed readers havenB次元官网网址檛 helped as some people blow by them and others slow down when it flashes and speed up shortly after.
B次元官网网址淲e just want to get people to slow down and be mindful of the folks that are walking and the folks that are trying to safely get in and out of their driveway B次元官网网址 We just want people to be safe.B次元官网网址
RELATED: Colwood implements first traffic calming policy
Milburn Drive resident Susan MacDonald said this is a problem that has been going on for years and is at her witB次元官网网址檚 end. She now has to blare music in her garden to drown out the noise of cars speeding by.
B次元官网网址淗ow would people feel if we abused their neighbourhood that way? How would you feel if someone came roaring through your neighbourhood at highway speeds. ItB次元官网网址檚 aggravating,B次元官网网址 she said, adding she would like to see one end of Hatley Road closed off and speed bumps installed on Ocean Boulevard. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e just a disaster waiting to happen.B次元官网网址
Mayor Carol Hamilton said speeding is an issue throughout the municipality, noting itB次元官网网址檚 important to review the information before determining a solution.
B次元官网网址淲e certainly donB次元官网网址檛 want a city full of speed humps on every road and area either,B次元官网网址 she said, adding money has already been put aside in the budget to implement traffic calming measures throughout the municipality.
B次元官网网址淲hat will be the best course of action to modify the behaviour of people who tend to slide by? We have to look at many of the areas in the locale and make sure that people are respecting and participating in the rules of the road.B次元官网网址
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