Whitehorse council to vote on lower downtown speed limits

A recommendation to reduce speed limits on all downtown Whitehorse streets to 40 km/h is now before city council. The bylaw amendment passed second reading this week.

The move is being proposed by city staff, following a report commissioned by the city last year that looked at traffic safety and speed in downtown Whitehorse.  

Some streets — including the major arteries of Second and Fourth Avenues — currently have posted limits of 50 km/h.

Speed limits in school and playground zones, currently set at 30 km/h, would not change under the plan.

The report done for the city last year analyzed the relationship between speed and the severity of injury from traffic accidents in urban areas. It found that even a 10 km/h reduction to a speed limit can have a significant effect on safety, and the perception of safety.

That report recommended limits of 40 km/h on Second and Fourth Avenue, and 30 km/h on all other downtown streets. City staff opted instead to go with 40 km/h for all downtown streets (except 30 km/h school zone areas). 

Whitehorse councillor Laura Cabott is in favour of the bylaw amendment.    

"Not everyone will be pleased with the reduction of speed downtown. But frankly, I think our number one priority has to be safety," Cabott said at a council meeting this week.

"There's no question by reducing the speed limit, we will save lives."

Cabott also argued that slower traffic will make the downtown a more pleasant place for pedestrians, cyclists and visitors, and therefore be good for businesses in the area.  

Coun. Steve Roddick agreed it's the right thing to do.

"Reducing speed and reducing the speed limit is one of the limited tools at our disposal to address the risk of vehicle crashes that continue to injure and kill non-drivers in our downtown core," Roddick said.

"So I think it's our responsibility to do something there."

The city has also been looking at re-designing some downtown streets where accidents are more common, such as Second Avenue.

The proposed bylaw amendment passed second reading this week. If it passes third reading in council, the new limits could come into effect by July.

The city would post new signs downtown and also launch a public awareness campaign about the changes.