For 27 years, I have called Metchosin Road my home, witnessing first-hand the changes in traffic patterns and the alarming rise in speeding and accidents in a residential area that runs from Painter Road to Kenning Court. Metchosin Rd is considered an Arterial road which connects the majority of residents of Royal Bay and Metchosin to Sooke rd. to highways and to other communities. It is also heavily used by BC Transit, commerial trucks, trades people and construction companies that provide services to the Metchosin and  Royal Bay communities

However, people are traveling through an area that has been designated an Urban Containment Boundary by the Colwood OCP and by the CRD. The Urban containment boundary runs from Sangster elementary school with 395 students and parents attending every day to Dunsmuir Middle school with 600 students parents and faculty attending each day. There are also shops and businesses and a park within this boundary.

Every day, residents of Metchosin Rd. and children and parents of Sangster and Dunsmuir school cross this busy road. Which has been designated a school zone- 30 km from  8am to 5pm monday to friday. A playground zone every day 40 km from Dawn to Dusk and  50 km after dark and before dawn.

That means during the winter months when it dark and rainy the speed limit is 50 km. That is, if people drive the speed limit. Most do not.  As affirmed by the RCMP quarterly report to council in March of this year. "Specifically that the majority of RCMP patrols and the majority of tickets issued were on main arterials; with Metchosin Road seeing the most enforcement."                                                                                                                                                                                                      

The current speed limit is not reflective of the residential nature of this area, nor does it prioritize the safety of our children. The arterial status of Metchosin Road precludes the installation of speed humps, but this should not be a reason to neglect the critical safety of the over 1,000 students attending these schools daily. Studies consistently show that reducing speed limits in high pedestrian areas significantly decreases the risk and severity of accidents. According to Safe Kids Canada, reducing speed limits to 30 km/h can lower pedestrian-vehicle collisions by up to 60%.

Despite the absence of speed humps, there is a concrete and achievable solution: reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h. Not only is this measure in line with recommendations from the Canadian Association of Road Saftey Proffesionals - CARSP, which supports lower speed limits where vulnerable road users are common, it is an actionable step that can be swiftly implemented through local governmental processes. At last count, over sixty B.C. municipalities have implemented slower residential speed limit zones The city of Duncan, the Municipality of Saanich and the City of Victoria have implemented this approach.

The City of Colwood has the opportunity to make a decision that reflects its commitment to the safety and well-being of its residents. By acting now, we can prevent potential accidents and make Metchosin Road a safer place for our children, their families, and all members of our community. Let's urge the local authorities to listen to the concerns of their constituents and take immediate action to reduce the speed limit on Metchosin Road.

Please join me in signing this petition to prioritize safety and community welfare by enforcing a safer speed limit. Your signature can help bring about this necessary change for a safer Metchosin Road. Thank you for your support.