The District of North Vancouver has approved the reduction in the speed limit on Mount Seymour Parkway from 60 kilometres per hour to 50 km/h, aiming to improve the safety of an average of 400 cyclists and 20,000 vehicles passing through this stretch of road daily.
Mount Seymour Parkway was the only street in the district with a posted speed limit of 60 km/h; however, observed speeds are well above that, between 73 km/h and 77 km/h, according to a release from the district.
Moreover, the District of North Vancouver will tap into TransLink’s Rapid Implementation approach to install improved cycling infrastructure, including concrete barriers and flex posts, to increase separation between cyclists and drivers.
The construction project will begin this month, and is anticipated to take approximately four months to complete.
Over the past five years, a total of 29 collisions have been reported on Mount Seymour Parkway between Seymour Boulevard and Deep Cove Road involving cyclists or pedestrians. On average, a driver collides with a cyclist or pedestrian about six times per year on this street.
According to the district, speeding continues to be the largest contributing factor for fatalities in B.C., more than distracted or impaired driving.
Fatemeh Falah is an intern reporter with the North Shore News. She can be contacted at [email protected].
