Speed limit on municipal roads reduced to 30 kilometers per hour

Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) Council adopted Parking and Traffic Amendment Bylaw (Speed Limit Schedule) No. 2326, 2021 at their regular meeting held on September 7, 2021.

The newly adopted bylaw means the speed limit on municipal roads will be lowered from 50 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour as soon as new signage is installed.  Existing 50 kilometers per hour signage will removed.

Signage will be installed in two phases; phase one includes the installation of gateway signage (neighbourhood entries), and phase two will include sign installations at major intersections. The bylaw would not adjust the speed on Highway 99, as it is a Provincial highway.

Background

At the April 20, 2021 Council meeting, Council directed staff to prepare a report outlining the implementation process to reduce the speed limit for municipal neighbourhood roadways. This was a result of a Traffic Calming Update presented to the Committee of the Whole on April 6, 2021.  On August 17, Council gave First, Second and Third readings to the Parking and Traffic Amendment Bylaw (Speed Limit Schedule) No. 2326, 2021. 

The 30 kilometres per hour speed limit is a recommendation of the World Health Organization and Vancouver Coastal Health. Currently, the Provincial Motor Vehicle Act sets the default speed limit on local roadways at 50 kilometres per hour. This change in speed limit is another tool the municipality can use to slow vehicles when travelling on municipal roads. 

For more information on municipal roads and traffic calming, visit whistler.ca/roads.