Saanich releases its proposed road safety plan

Every 10 hours someone in Saanich gets hurt in a motor vehicle crash. Nearly half the time, it’s a pedestrian or cyclist, according to Saanich, which wants to run its proposed new road safety plan by the people who use its roadways.

“We have heard your concerns about road safety and addressing them is a top priority for council,” Mayor Dean Murdock said in a release.

It was Murdock as a freshly selected mayor-elect who promised infrastructure and procedural changes to Saanich’s roadways, in October 2022.

“As the new incoming mayor, I want to work with council to prioritize road safety improvements, so that we know our kids are going to be able to get around safely in the community,” Murdock told Capital Daily at an early morning protest at the intersection of Shelbourne and San Juan, where days earlier, a driver hit an eight-year-old who was on her way to school. The girl recovered, but the incident sparked the protest which called for improved road infrastructure, reduced speed limits, and improved traffic enforcement.

Last March, Saanich announced speed-limit reductions on nine roads, with more to come.

This week, the district released its Road Safety Action Plan (RSAP) which is designed to take steps to achieve zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries, based on an analysis of crash data and best practices in other jurisdictions.

The RSAP, the district said, was created with the needs of all road users in mind—be they people who walk, ride a bike, take a bus, use a mobility device, or drive in Saanich—the release said.

Saanich says between 2016 and 2020, 12 crashes on Saanich roads resulted in fatalities, and as a result of such grim statistics, in 2022, the district adopted its Vision Zero approach to road safety.

The philosophy of the approach is that fatalities and serious injuries can be eliminated while providing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all road users, and the RSAP—a first for Saanich—is its pathway.

Saanich planning for the decades ahead

The RSAP outlines measures to be taken in the next 10 years and will be brought to a council vote later this year. It follows the district’s Active Transportation Plan, Moving Saanich Forward, as a guide for investment in active transportation improvements for the next 30 years, which the council approved in January.

The RSAP contains 31 proposed actions, including installing safe infrastructure, conducting a districtwide safety review on crosswalks, a review of speed limits, and improving regional trail crossings.

Survey says...

The district wants to hear how Saanichites feel about the proposal in an accompanying survey, which will remain online until the end of March.

“What we hear from you will be used alongside technical information to inform the final RSAP before it is presented to council later this year,” the release said.

The first of the survey’s 13 questions is to rank the nine primary actions in order of importance. It also asks survey takers to rate on a scale of 1-5, their overall support of the draft RSAP, and what mode of transportation they generally use to get around the area.

In-person consultations

There are two upcoming community pop-up events you can attend to find out more about the district’s plan. The first is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5 from 2pm to 5pm at the community booth inside Tillicum Mall.

The second will be held 11 days later, on Saturday, March 16 from 12pm to 3pm in the courtyard by the Saanich Walmart.

Find the survey here.

More information about Saanich’s draft Road Safety Action Plan is available at saanich.ca/roadsafetyaction.

‍ Primary Actions

1. Install Safe Infrastructure at Priority Locations Identified by a Network Screening

2. Build Multi-Modal Streets that Include Transit Priority and Infrastructure for Walking, Rolling, and Cycling

3. Pursue Infrastructure Solutions with Demonstrated Positive Safety Performance

4. Conduct a Saanich-Wide Crosswalk Safety Review

5. Develop a Traffic Calming Policy & Program

6. Review Speed Limits to Support Reduced Speeds

7. Continue to Enforce Impaired Driving Laws

8. Continue to Enforce Distracted Driving Laws

9. Carry Out Road Safety Audits

Supporting Actions

10. Improve Regional Trail Crossings

11. Improve Safety at High Crash Locations on Highways

12. Improve Access and Safety of Bus Stops

13. Reduce the Density of Driveway Accesses on Major and Collector Roads

14. Improve Sight Lines at Intersections and Driveways

15. Require Traffic Management Plans to Reflect Current Provincial Legislation for Worker Safety

16. Work with Partners to Implement Intersection Safety Cameras

17. Install Dynamic Speed Detection Devices Along High Priority Corridors

18. Encourage Increased Transit Ridership to Reduce Private Vehicle Use and VKT

19. Explore Legalization of Electric Kick Scooters in Saanich

20. Transition to Safer Fleet Vehicles

21. Enforce Other Laws that Promote Safe Behaviours on Saanich Roads

22. Continue to Conduct Vehicle Safety Inspections to Ensure Vehicles are Roadworthy and Safe to Operate

23. Prioritize Road Safety in Community Plans and Policy Documents

24. Ensure Emergency Service Facilities are Located to Allow Efficient Response

25. Develop and Implement Awareness and Education Campaigns on Road Safety

26. Develop and Implement an Education Program Focusing on Transportation Options for Non-Drivers

27. Develop Strategies to Engage with Equity-Deserving Populations

28. Improve Media Crash Reporting

29. Create a Reporting Format for Correctability Analyses

30. Advocate for Changes to Support Enhanced Road Safety

31. Work with Partners to Improve Crash Data