More speed limits could drop within the City of Victoria.
This week, councilors will consider a recommendation to reduce almost every street in the city to 30 or 40km/h, down from the default 50km/h.
The only exceptions could be Douglas and Blanshard Streets between Caledonia and Tolmie, which could remain at 50 if that’s the chosen option. One route may actually see an increased speed limit – the road around and over the Johnson Street Bridge could increase from 30 up to 40.
The staff report before councilors goes over the arguments in favour or reducing speed limits:
“Car crashes at higher speeds are more likely to occur than at lower speeds due to factors such as reduced driver field-of-vision, slower reaction time and longer braking distances. At slower speeds, pedestrians can make more effective decisions about when to cross the road, and drivers have more capacity to stop in time. Higher speed crashes are more forceful and likely to be fatal, with speed being directly correlated to whether a person will live or die. Pedestrians are particularly at risk, with research suggesting at least a 90 percent chance of surviving crashes at 30 km/h or below, but less than 20 percent chance of surviving impacts at speeds 50 km/h or above.”
The city already recently reduced several smaller neighbourhood streets down to 30. Neighbouring municipalities like Saanich and Esquimalt have made similar moves to bring down some of their default 50km/h limits.
Councilors will discuss the recommendation when they meet as the committee of the whole on Thursday.