Campbell River is lowering the speed limit on a downtown stretch of Highway 19A.
The city will reduce the maximum speed on the downtown portion of the highway this month from 60 kilometres per hour to 50 kilometres per hour. The change will apply to the stretch of Highway 19A between Rockland Road and 1st Avenue, bringing the speed limit in line with surrounding streets.
“We know people like to get to their destination as easily as possible, and we’re advising drivers that they’ll need less than a minute to travel this three kilometres at the reduced speed limit,” said Drew Hadfield, the city’s director of operations, in a media release Tuesday.
“With several driveways for condominium and apartment complexes [that] are located along this route, the reduced speed will make it safer and easier to get into and out of these locations. Lower speeds will also make cycling and walking along the seawalk a more pleasant experience.”
The city says the 60-kilometre-per-hour limit was left over from a time when the stretch of highway was owned and operated by the province, not the city.
“Over the years, the City has lowered the speed along Highway 19A to 50 km/hr along parts of the route as they’re upgraded,” Hadfield said. “The next upgrade will be from south of Rockland to the Big Rock Boat Ramp, so it’s time to bring the speed along this stretch in line with the rest of the corridor.”
