REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: December 2, 2020 Report No. EPW-20-025
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Jeff Miller, Director of Engineering and Public Works
SUBJECT:
Title
Update on Motor Vehicle Act Pilot Project on Lowering Speed Limit - Residential Roads End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council approve the Township's participation in a three-year pilot project for a revised default speed limit (40 km/hr.) for roads without continuous yellow centreline markings (residential) as outlined in Staff Report No.EPW-20-025 and direct staff to advise the District of Saanich accordingly.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Streets and Traffic Bylaw, 2017, No. 2898
Official Community Plan Bylaw, 2018, No. 2922
British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Healthy, Livable and Diverse Community: Support multi-modal transportation strategies that reflect the cumulative impact of business and residential development; and
Local Services and Infrastructure: Support ongoing improvements to transportation corridors
BACKGROUND:
Speed limits are set in two ways within the Township; the Streets and Traffic Bylaw and the British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act (MVA). The Bylaw method allows the Township to set speeds on roads provided the correct signage is also installed. This ability is provided for under the authority of the MVA. The MVA also contains clauses that set overarching speed limits for roads. Examples of this are in Section 146 where unsigned roads within a municipality are set at a default speed limit of 50 km/hr and unsigned roads outside of municipalities are set a default speed limit of 80 km/hr.
In 2019, a motion was brought forward at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities Annual Conference to adjust the default speed limit within municipalities at a lower speed (i.e. 30 or 40 km/hr). This information was received by the Province and in turn modified the MVA - part 13 was added to allow pilot projects that would re...
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