Victoria to lower speed limit to 30 km/h on neighbourhood streets
Drivers in Victoria's Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood will be the first to experience the city's new default speed limit of 30km/h on residential streets starting this spring.
The lower speed limit will replace the current limit of 50km/h starting May 1.
The new limit applies to local streets, typically in residential areas, which do not have a centre line and are used by fewer than 1,000 vehicles per day, according to the City of Victoria.
Speed limits on major roads like Blanshard Street, Hillside Avenue, Cook Street and Shelbourne Street will remain at 50km/h.
Following the change in Hillside-Quadra, the city will focus on implementing the new 30km/h limit in the Burnside-Gorge area this fall, followed by the Oaklands neighbourhood in the winter.
"Slower speeds are just one of the strategies we are implementing to achieve Vision Zero – the elimination of traffic fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways," the city says on its website explaining the shift.
"Vision Zero is an international best practice and included in Go Victoria, our sustainable mobility strategy."
City staff cite B.C. government statistics showing that a pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling 50km/h has an 80 per cent chance of dying from their injuries, while a pedestrian struck at 30km/h has a 10 per cent chance of being killed.
The decision follows a similar move in Saanich, where council voted earlier this month to lower speed limits to 40km/h along nine major routes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it’s too late
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.