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
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.