Bay Street in Nanaimo’s Departure Bay neighbourhood will be getting permanent traffic-calming structures, following a trial period with temporary speed humps.
The temporary speed humps were installed after the city received numerous requests from parents of children attending Departure Bay Elementary School and members of the Departure Bay Neighbourhood Association, which prompted a study of the traffic on the street.
“I just want to assure everyone who’s listening, the mayor had nothing to do with the installation even though he lives on Bay Street, but I am observing it very carefully and it does slow people down,” said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog.
Data gathered by city staff before the traffic calming revealed that about 1,600 vehicles travelled the street daily and about 60 per cent of vehicles travelled at speeds in excess of 6o kilometres per hour. The pilot project included installation of two temporary speed humps to bring down traffic speeds.
“Earlier this year we installed two temporary speed humps of the removable sort,” said Barbara Thomas, city assistant manager of transportation, in her report to council Monday. “We feel this project was a success. We have a 10-kilometre-per-hour reduction in speed and lower volumes.”
The temporary speed humps dropped traffic volume by about 200 vehicles per day, according to a staff report.
Council voted unanimously to direct city staff to proceed with installing two permanent speed humps and one raised crosswalk.
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