Drivers are being asked to ease off their gas pedals.
The City of Courtenay is lowering the speed limit on a section of Highway 19A.
The half-kilometre long section runs south of Marriott Road to the city boundary at Monaltrie Drive.
The speed limit will be lowered from 80 km/h to 60 km/h starting tomorrow, May 14th.
“This was the only section of 80 km/h roadway under the city’s jurisdiction,” says Kyle Shaw, director of public works services.
“Reducing the speed on this stretch will help the city standardize our traffic control practices when road work is underway. The provincial traffic control requirements are quite a bit higher as the travel speed increases. The speed reduction will help our crews feel safer when they’re working on maintenance in this corridor.”
He adds that pedestrians and cyclists using the shoulder will likely feel more comfortable with the slower traffic speed.
The change is expected to add about seven seconds to a commute.
Other 80 km/h roads that fall within Courtenay, including Ryan Road and the Comox Valley Parkway, are the responsibility of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
