Speed Limits in Saanich: Promoting Safe and Sustainable Mobility

Saanich is a Vision Zero community and safe mobility for all residents and visitors is at the heart of supporting a sustainable, livable and multi-modal community. We know that higher speeds increase the risk of a crash and the likelihood that a crash will result in a serious injury or fatality. As part of Vision Zero we are reviewing speed limits on priority streets and reducing speeds where needed to improve safety for all road users.

Background

The default speed limit for municipal streets in BC is 50 km/h, as regulated by the BC Motor Vehicle Act.  Municipalities like Saanich can regulate speed limits through bylaws and signage.

In July 2022, Saanich Council adopted the  Speed Limit Establishment Policy and over time speed limits will be reviewed and reduced on Type A and Type B streets throughout the district.

Speed Limit Implementation

What is Vision Zero?

Vision Zero is an ambitious goal to eliminate all traffic injuries and fatalities while ensuring safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all road users. This includes people who walk, ride a bike, take a bus or drive. Vision Zero is a new paradigm for road safety that recognizes that human error is inevitable and a systems-based approach is needed to address multiple factors affecting road safety including speed limits, road design, education and awareness for road users, enforcement, and vehicle safety.

Why review speed limits?

Studies indicate that lowering speed limits contributes to creating calmer, quieter streets while enhancing safety for pedestrians, cyclists, bus passengers, and motorists alike. Slower speeds afford drivers more reaction time, thereby diminishing the likelihood of severe or fatal accidents involving motor vehicles and vulnerable road users. Setting appropriate speed limits is integral to fostering a safe and fair transportation network. Our district is dedicated to decreasing speed limits on residential streets and reassessing and lowering limits on collector and major roads. This initiative is part of a broader endeavor to enhance safety for all residents, irrespective of location, mobility, or mode of transportation.

What is the Speed Limit Establishment Policy?

The Speed Limit Establishment Policy is an important step in improving road safety in Saanich. The Policy provides direction to set appropriate speed limits on all streets under Saanich’s jurisdiction and control. This includes urban and rural streets that are classified as residential, collector and major. More information can be found by following the website link here.

What are Type A and B streets?

Type A streets are streets without a continuous yellow centre line and/or streets where a Neighbourhood Bikeway exists or is proposed in the Active Transportation Plan. The Speed Limit Establishment Policy specifies that the maximum speed limits on Type A streets is 30 km/h.

Type B streets are streets with a continuous yellow centre line and/or streets not defined as Type A streets. The Speed Limit Establishment Policy specifies that the maximum speed limits on Type B streets will be set based on the findings of a Safe Speed Study.

When will speed limits change?

Speed limit reductions for priority streets will be enforceable once speed limit signs are in place and the Streets and Traffic Bylaw is updated to reflect these changes.

What's next?

At the end of each phase of speed limit reductions, staff will seek direction from Council on what the next priorities will be. Through implementation of the Speed Limit Establishment Policy we will continue to seek to balance speed limit reductions across corridors and residential neighborhoods, maintaining our commitment to safer streets for all.

Documents and Reports

Documents

• Speed Limit Establishment Policy

Council Reports

• Council Report – July 4, 2022
• Council Report – February 16, 2022