Crosswalks along Departure Bay Rd. will again be adorned with concrete islands to narrow the road and promote slower traffic flows through the summer months. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

STOP SPEEDING

Crosswalk curbs returning to Departure Bay Rd. as City eyes more permanent solution

May 6, 2021 | 5:29 AM

NANAIMO — The City is looking at what more can be done to slow cars through one of the most popular areas of Nanaimo during summer months.

Lane-narrowing curbs will again be installed at crosswalks on Departure Bay Rd. in a bid to create a safer environment for park and beach go-ers.

Bill Sims, city manager of public works, told Council on Monday, May 3, the challenge of implementing a permanent solution is to make it work all year round.

“Summer time there are lots of pedestrians and that’s when we want to create the slower traffic, in the winter time not so much.”

The curbs were last installed in the summer of 2020, part of a pilot project to reduce speeding vehicles.

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In August, the speed limit along the road was 50 kilometres per hour, with approximately 13,500 vehicles travelling on average every week day. Speeds, on average based on the 85th percentile, ranged from 55 to 57 kilometres per hour.

The locations of centre dividing concrete curbs to slow traffic on Departure Bay Rd. (Google Maps)

The City adjusted the speed limit to 40 kilometres per hour in September and installed the islands.

Just over 12,000 vehicles came through on average every week day, with an average speed of 54 kilometres per hour, or 14 kilometres per hour above the posted speed limit.

While the curbs go back in, the City will consult with the local neighbourhood to present and hear solutions.

Coun. Tyler Brown offered the idea of making a 200 metre stretch of Departure Bay Rd. from Wingrove St. to Bay St. a crosswalk zone, with Coun. Don Bonner taking it one step further.

“I would even be interested in the possibility of making it a raised table…a raise at the beginning around Loat St. and coming back down at Bay St.,” Bonner said.

“Even putting in rumble strips so that the traffic knows they’re in an area where they’re supposed to be going a lot slower.”

Chuck Easton, director with the Departure Bay Neighbourhood Association, told NanaimoNewsNOW he was underwhelmed with the City’s response to the problem.

“The idea was to monitor the traffic through the summer, well it was really through the fall when the traffic volumes and pedestrian traffic is decreasing. I’m not sure we got a good picture.”

He said he was frustrated little happened over the winter months following the pilot project, but looks forward to the public consultation process and is intrigued by the raised table idea floated at the Council table.

“It’s something we hadn’t thought of…it exists in other places so it certainly would work here.”

A solution stemming from the consultation is due back at Council in time to implement for summer 2022.

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alex.rawnsley@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley