Similar to other municipalities, the Township of Esquimalt is focusing their efforts on road safety since the latest vote in October of last year.
The District of Saanich and the City of Victoria have already passed bylaws which will see all speed limit maximums slashed to make roads safer for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.
Now Esquimalt is following suit—making the roads more safe for pedestrians to cross and cyclists to share with vehicles is the ultimate goal of Esquimalt’s Active Transportation Plan, which is still in its early phases.
Another important move the township will be making as part of their plan is implementing a pilot project for ‘quick-build’’ bike lanes along some major corridors.
Related:
- Tillicum Road to get additional bike lanes connecting Esquimalt cycling community
- Saanich will be slashing speed limits throughout the municipality this spring
- Victoria slashes speed limits from 50 km/h to 30 km/h in all neighbourhoods
Feedback from residents is crucial for the council and township staff to make informed decisions that will benefit driver safety as well as cyclist and pedestrian safety.
The next thing the township is asking for feedback on is speed reductions on some of their major corridors.
Esquimalt is proposing reducing speeds on all major roads such as Esquimalt Road to 40 km/h and all other roads will be reduced to 30 km/h with the following exceptions:
- Colville Road between Admirals Road and Tillicum Road to be 40 km/h
- Tillicum Road between Transfer Street and Colville Road to be 40 km/h
- Admirals Road between Esquimalt Road and Lyall Street to be 30 km/h
- Lampson Street between Esquimalt Road and Lyall Street to be 30 km/h
The plan is to install new speed signs over the next three years, prioritizing major gateways and major roads.
The ‘major roads’ which will be prioritized as indicated by the township will include Admirals Road, Craigflower Road, Esquimalt Road, Lampson Street, and Tillicum Road. On average, over 10,000 vehicles use these roads every day, sometimes 15,000.
Traffic calming infrastructure such as speed humps are also being considered to help encourage drivers to slow down.
According to the township, vehicle speed does not always cause crashes; however, it usually determines the severity of a crash.
Esquimalt has launched an online survey so residents can have their voices heard.
