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Saanich seeks feedback on road safety plan

Open houses are also scheduled for June 10 at the Gordon Head Recreation Centre and June 14 at Saanich Commonwealth Place.
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The crosswalk at Ash Road and Torquay Drive in Saanich where in 2017 a young girl was struck by a vehicle and severely injured. In February 2022, Saanich council adopted Vision Zero, a goal to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities on the roads.ADRIAN LAM, TIMES COLONIST

The District of Saanich is asking for public input on plans to improve road safety in the municipality.

Saanich will be running a series of events to collect feedback from the community on the district’s road safety action plan and an update to the existing active transportation plan.

“Safety on Saanich roads is a key factor for many people deciding to use active transportation,” said director of engineering Harley Machielse, who said the two plans will help create a safe, connected and convenient transportation system.

The district has provided an online survey — available at bit.ly/41K3HNl — to gather feedback until June 18.

Open houses are also scheduled for June 10 between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Gordon Head Recreation Centre and June 14 between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Saanich Commonwealth Place.

The road safety action plan, which kicked off last spring, stems from council’s adoption in February 2022 of Vision Zero, a goal to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities on the roads. Vision Zero, which originated in Sweden in the 1990s, is based on a systems-based approach to speed limits and road design that reduces the impact of human error.

The district, which aims to complete the plan by the end of this year, is seeking input on road-safety concerns.

The update to the active transportation plan, which aims to improve walking, biking and other active-mobility options in the district, also started last spring with the goal of wrapping up this fall.

The plan was adopted by council in June 2018 as a guide for active transportation direction and improvements for 30 years and establishes a vision, goals and targets.

The draft update to the plan will showcase achievements from the last five years and provide a framework to implement active transportation policies, actions and priorities.

More information on both plans is available online at ­saanich.ca/roadsafetyaction and saanich.ca/atpupdate.

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