Slow Down Chemainus: Traffic Calming on Chemainus Road Now!
The Issue
Chemainus Road has been a cherished part of our community experience, surrounded by nature and a sense of tranquility. However, our neighborhood's safety is jeopardized daily by vehicles speeding excessively down our streets. This isn't just a minor inconvenience; it's a grave danger to all who call this place home, from the wildlife that dots our landscape to the local residents, our children, the drivers and cyclists who frequent our neighborhood.
Currently, vehicles frequently travel at speeds well above what is safe for our neighborhood. This excessive speeding creates a dangerous environment not just for the wildlife that frequently crosses here, but for our local residents, children, pedestrians, and other drivers.
Specifically, the current traffic conditions on Chemainus Road pose a daily threat in the following ways:
• Pedestrian and Child Safety: Families, children, and residents walking along or trying to cross the road are highly vulnerable. The high speeds drastically reduce reaction times, making it incredibly dangerous for pedestrians to navigate their own neighborhood.
• Compounding Enforcement and Impaired Driving Concerns: This situation is intensified by a noticeable lack of regular police presence along this stretch, leaving the corridor largely unmonitored. As a result, reckless driving goes unchecked, and residents frequently observe erratic driving behaviors—including individuals driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs—exponentially raising the risk of severe or fatal accidents.
• Lack of Enforcement and Aggressive Driving: These issues are compounded by very little visible police presence along this route. With minimal enforcement, reckless driving goes unchecked. Residents frequently observe erratic behaviors—including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Furthermore, drivers who adhere to the posted speed limit are routinely subjected to aggressive tailgating. This eliminates safe stopping distances, creating a high risk for rear-end collisions and making it nearly impossible to stop safely if a child, pedestrian, turning vehicle, or animal suddenly enters the roadway.
• Driver Safety: Local residents pulling out of their driveways or navigating intersections face a heightened risk of collisions due to the fast-approaching traffic.
• Wildlife Hazards: This area is an active corridor for local wildlife including deer. High speeds lead to preventable animal fatalities, which in turn cause dangerous and costly collisions for drivers.
This combination of speeding vehicles, impared driving concerns, aggressive driving, pedestrian activity, and wildlife crossings is a serious accident waiting to happen—and has already resulted in many human deaths as well as many wild animals and family pets deaths.
I am formally requesting that the Municipality of North Cowichan and BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure conduct a traffic and safety assessment on Chemainus Road, with the goal of installing physical traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, speed tables, raised crosswalks or having more police presence with roadblocks and radar.
Our community deserves a safe environment where residents can walk, kids can play, and drivers can navigate without the constant threat of speeding vehicles. Taking proactive steps to calm traffic now will prevent tragedies and make Chemainus Road safer for all who share it.
Studies from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that reducing vehicle speeds significantly lowers accident rates and the severity of injuries in those that do occur. Installing speed bumps and or speed calming initiatives has been a proven traffic calming measure worldwide. They compel drivers to slow down and give pedestrians the right of way they deserve.
We urge the local council and traffic authorities to recognize the urgency of this issue. By installing speed bumps on Chemainus Road, we can create a safer environment for everyone. It's not only an investment in safety but also in the quality of life for those living here.
Join us in calling for immediate action to protect our community's well-being. Sign this petition to demand the implementation of speed bumps on Chemainus Road. Every signature brings us closer to achieving a safer neighborhood.
499
The Issue
Chemainus Road has been a cherished part of our community experience, surrounded by nature and a sense of tranquility. However, our neighborhood's safety is jeopardized daily by vehicles speeding excessively down our streets. This isn't just a minor inconvenience; it's a grave danger to all who call this place home, from the wildlife that dots our landscape to the local residents, our children, the drivers and cyclists who frequent our neighborhood.
Currently, vehicles frequently travel at speeds well above what is safe for our neighborhood. This excessive speeding creates a dangerous environment not just for the wildlife that frequently crosses here, but for our local residents, children, pedestrians, and other drivers.
Specifically, the current traffic conditions on Chemainus Road pose a daily threat in the following ways:
• Pedestrian and Child Safety: Families, children, and residents walking along or trying to cross the road are highly vulnerable. The high speeds drastically reduce reaction times, making it incredibly dangerous for pedestrians to navigate their own neighborhood.
• Compounding Enforcement and Impaired Driving Concerns: This situation is intensified by a noticeable lack of regular police presence along this stretch, leaving the corridor largely unmonitored. As a result, reckless driving goes unchecked, and residents frequently observe erratic driving behaviors—including individuals driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs—exponentially raising the risk of severe or fatal accidents.
• Lack of Enforcement and Aggressive Driving: These issues are compounded by very little visible police presence along this route. With minimal enforcement, reckless driving goes unchecked. Residents frequently observe erratic behaviors—including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Furthermore, drivers who adhere to the posted speed limit are routinely subjected to aggressive tailgating. This eliminates safe stopping distances, creating a high risk for rear-end collisions and making it nearly impossible to stop safely if a child, pedestrian, turning vehicle, or animal suddenly enters the roadway.
• Driver Safety: Local residents pulling out of their driveways or navigating intersections face a heightened risk of collisions due to the fast-approaching traffic.
• Wildlife Hazards: This area is an active corridor for local wildlife including deer. High speeds lead to preventable animal fatalities, which in turn cause dangerous and costly collisions for drivers.
This combination of speeding vehicles, impared driving concerns, aggressive driving, pedestrian activity, and wildlife crossings is a serious accident waiting to happen—and has already resulted in many human deaths as well as many wild animals and family pets deaths.
I am formally requesting that the Municipality of North Cowichan and BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure conduct a traffic and safety assessment on Chemainus Road, with the goal of installing physical traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, speed tables, raised crosswalks or having more police presence with roadblocks and radar.
Our community deserves a safe environment where residents can walk, kids can play, and drivers can navigate without the constant threat of speeding vehicles. Taking proactive steps to calm traffic now will prevent tragedies and make Chemainus Road safer for all who share it.
Studies from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that reducing vehicle speeds significantly lowers accident rates and the severity of injuries in those that do occur. Installing speed bumps and or speed calming initiatives has been a proven traffic calming measure worldwide. They compel drivers to slow down and give pedestrians the right of way they deserve.
We urge the local council and traffic authorities to recognize the urgency of this issue. By installing speed bumps on Chemainus Road, we can create a safer environment for everyone. It's not only an investment in safety but also in the quality of life for those living here.
Join us in calling for immediate action to protect our community's well-being. Sign this petition to demand the implementation of speed bumps on Chemainus Road. Every signature brings us closer to achieving a safer neighborhood.
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Petition created on 12 September 2026