Lower speed limits coming to downtown Whitehorse as of Aug. 23

It's official — the city of Whitehorse is posting new, lower speed limits downtown starting later this month.

As of Monday, Aug. 23, the speed limit on all downtown streets will be 40 km/h. 

The change follows a report commissioned by the city last year that looked at traffic safety and speed in downtown Whitehorse. City staff then recommended changes to the speed limit, and council voted in favour.

Right now, some streets — including the major arteries of Second and Fourth Avenues — have posted limits of 50 km/h.

Speed limits in school and playground zones, currently set at 30 km/h, will not change.

"The city has recognized the concerns about road safety in the city, but particularly in the downtown," said city engineer Stefan Baer.

Baer says many cities across North America have been making similar changes. It's about recognizing that slower traffic is safer for everybody, he says.  

"It recognizes that the downtown is a place where we have many different types of people, types of modes of transportation, converging and safe speeds are important to be able to mitigate and manage that risk." 

The city will be updating signs in the coming weeks "at entrances to the downtown area and along major routes," according to a news release.