Central Saanich is rolling out reduced speed limits to enhance safety for all road users.
Beginning June 1, the speed limit on Stelly’s Cross Road between Wallace Drive and East Saanich Road will be lowered to 40 km/h. This change responds to a history of collisions and increased safety concerns in this busy residential area with school bus stops.
This summer, drivers will also see new 30 km/h signs on residential streets within Central Saanich neighbourhoods. Compared to collector or arterial roads, residential streets mainly provide access to homes and typically have lower traffic volumes at lower speeds.
The next 30 km/h signage updates will be installed in the Seabrook Road area. New speed limit signs will continue to roll out within Tanner Ridge, Saanichton and Brentwood Bay. Enforcement begins when updated signs are in place. By the end of the year, most residential streets will default to 30 km/h.
This work will complete the speed limit updates Central Saanich initiated last year. Earlier this winter, speed limits were reduced on sections of collector roads, including Wallace Drive, Old West Saanich Road and the Tanner Road hill. These changes are part of the District’s ongoing commitment to improve road safety, based on community priorities and feedback from recent community satisfaction surveys.
Lower speeds reduce the risk of a crash and the chance that a crash will end in a serious injury or death. Why slower is safer:
- Reduced fatalities: Collisions at 30 km/h have a 90% pedestrian survival rate, compared to a less than 50% chance of survival at 50 km/h.
- Fewer collisions: Lower speeds increase reaction time and reduce the stopping distance you need, helping you slow down before a crash or avoid a crash.
- Less forceful collisions: Doubling your speed, like from 30 km/h to 60 km/hour, quadruples the force of crashing into a stationary object, like a stopped vehicle.
- Quieter streets: Slower speeds make neighbourhoods quieter, creating a more pleasant, livable community for everyone.
For more information, see CSaanich.ca/SpeedLimits. For completed signage updates, visit LetsTalkCentralSaanich.ca/SpeedLimits. Residents can share road safety concerns with the Traffic Safety Committee by email at CSEngineering@csaanich.ca or phone at 250-544-4210.