Victoria approves reducing speed limits on most major roads to boost safety

Victoria is pumping the brakes, literally.

In a unanimous decision, city council approved a plan to reduce speed limits on most of the city’s streets to 40 km/h or less. On many smaller residential roads, the pace will drop even further to a leisurely 30 km/h.

However, not every street is hitting the slowdown. Major arterial roads like Douglas and Blanshard, both six-lane connections to provincial highways, will keep their 50 km/h speed limits, at least for now.

This move isn’t exactly uncharted territory for Victoria. The city has been gradually rolling out 30 km/h zones on quieter, unmarked streets for the past few years.

By the end of 2024, seven of Victoria’s 11 neighbourhoods are expected to have fully adopted these lower speed limits.

According to city staff, the shift is all about safety. Studies show that lower speeds significantly reduce the risk of life-threatening crashes.

From 2013 through 2023, there were between zero and three traffic-related fatalities each year, with an average of two fatalities annually.

“Car crashes at higher speeds are more likely to occur than at lower speeds due to factors such as reduced driver field-of-vision, slower reaction time and longer braking distances,” reads City staff’s report.

“At slower speeds, pedestrians can make more effective decisions about when to cross the road, and drivers have more capacity to stop in time.”

With this in mind, the city plans to complete the full rollout by spring 2027 at an estimated cost of under $100,000.

For most Victorians, the change won’t be a huge adjustment.

Many neighbourhoods have already embraced the slower speeds, and city officials report that compliance has been strong where limits have already been lowered.

See the map of these changes below:

Whether you’re walking, cycling, or driving, one thing is certain—life in Victoria is about to move at a more relaxed pace.

What are your thoughts on the city lowering the speed limits, are you in favour or against?