Colwood residents looking to get speedsters to slow down on their roads will now have to follow a process to have traffic calming measures installed.
The City’s first traffic calming policy determines where and how traffic calming measures will be considered throughout the municipality.
Measures such as speed cushions, raised sidewalks, chicanes or warning signage, will be primarily located on local roads, such as Milburn Road and Ocean Boulevard, that drivers use to avoid the use of other more congested roads that has reduced the quality of life for residents on the street.
But in order for measures to be considered, the City must first conduct a survey, and a minimum of 50 per cent of residents surveyed must return it, and 75 per cent must endorse it.
“There are other things we can do in the scope of trying to address a localized problem without creating hardships in other areas. People are like water, they go where the quickest and most non-impeded area of traffic goes,” Mayor Carol Hamilton said. “We’re just trying to set a standard, be consistent, and set expectations.”
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According to a staff report, traffic calming requests have thus far been dealt with on an ad-hoc basis, with little consistency or consideration of the effects.
For example, speed limits have been reduced on a number of roads as a result of resident complaints, however, the desired outcome of slowing traffic and changing driver habits did not occur.
“Unrealistic speed limits can create a general disregard for traffic control signage, as they are seen as unreasonable and/or unwarranted and, in addition, lead to a proliferation of signs,” said the report.
“Scarce police resources for enforcement of these limits further reduce their effectiveness.”
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Traffic calming requests will not be considered for arterial roads, such as Sooke, Wale, Kelly and Metchosin roads, as well as Latoria Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Parkway, to ensure traffic continues to move effectively, or on collector roads, unless they are located in front of a park or school and other options have been exhausted.
Any traffic calming measures implemented will be funded from general tax revenues, which could impact taxes. For more information on the policy visit colwood.ca.