Currently
the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act sets a speed limit of 50 km/h on municipal
streets when a different speed limit has not been posted by signs. A
recent survey by Research Co. found that 58% of British Columbians would
definitely or probably like to see
residential speed limits of 30 km/h. This past fall the Union of B.C.
Municipalities resolved to ask the Minister of Transportation and
Infrastructure to amend the Motor Vehicle Act to allow municipalities to
set this blanket speed limit.
Municipalities already have the power to implement 30 km/h speed zones
anywhere within their boundaries through the use of signs. The amendment
would save the effort and expense of installing more signs.
There are five justifications to make the change in this resolution:
- Pedestrian crash survivability rises from 20% at 50 km/h to 90% at 30 km/h.
- B.C.’s Road Safety Strategy of 2015 sets a goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries and discussed safe speeds.
- A 2016 report from the Provincial Health Officer recommended a 30 km/h speed in urban areas.
- Lower speed limits are more compatible with B.C.’s Active Transportation Strategy.
- A recommendation from B.C.’s Road Safety Law Reform Group.
The provincial government surveyed municipalities in 2015 as part of the
Road Safety Strategy. Not surprisingly, the top two issues of concern
reported were vehicle speeds and pedestrian safety.
What should be surprising is that the survey also found that formal
municipal road safety program components are rare. Less than one third
have a formal mandate to improve road safety and few have developed
visions, plans or targets.
Less than half of municipalities have committees with a road safety mandate or road safety improvement programs or projects.
Of 9 potential sources of road safety data suggested, most
municipalities relied on public comments and complaints instead of
something like a Sustainable Transportation Assessment for
Neighbourhoods.
Residents usually request traffic calming changes on their streets to
remedy safety issues. Municipalities such as Maple Ridge, North Cowichan
and West Kelowna do have policies in place for this. They follow the
Canadian Guide to Neighbourhood Traffic Calming
produced by the Transportation Association of Canada. It’s expensive to
buy and is not available to read for free on line or in my local
library so we can to refer to chapter 2 of the B.C. Community Road
Safety Toolkit instead.
What do you think our provincial government’s response to this request will be?
Story URL:
https://www.drivesmartbc.ca/government/imposing-30-kmh-speed-limit-residential-areas
—
Constable Tim Schewe (Retired)
DriveSmartBC: Where better than average road users satisfy their curiosity.