Enabling Legislation to Allow Municipalities to Create Blanket Speed Zones

WHEREAS the speed limit in municipalities in British Columbia is 50 kmhr unless otherwise posted, with no differentiation made between major municipal roads, arterial roads and local residential streets; AND WHEREAS issues relating to vehicular speeding, pedestrian safety and traffic calming have become matters of significant and growing concern in many communities throughout the province, with municipal councils being requested to take substantive and potentially costly action to reduce speed limits on individual residential streets, institute lower blanket speed limits across residential neighbourhoods andor throughout the municipality, and generally implement other pedestrian safety, speed control, public awareness and enforcement initiatives as deemed necessary to address the problems: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities reiterate its previous request to the Minister of Transportation that the necessary amendments be made to the Motor Vehicle Act to allow municipalities to implement blanket speed zones in residential areas, and on other municipal roadways as deemed appropriate.