The North Coast Regional District (NCRD) has requested that the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure review the speed limits within portions of Electoral Area D.
The Electoral Area Advisory Committee recommended the review where posted speed signage is not reduced in the residentially-populated areas of Tlell and Tow Hill at the NCRD regular board meeting on July 17.
According to Daniel Fish, chief administrative officer for the NCRD, the request was sent to Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena on July 22.
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Though there is currently less traffic due to COVID-19 and ongoing stay-home orders, Area D Director Johanne Young told the Observer that use of Highway 16 through Tlell and Tow Hill has generally been increasing over the past 15 to 20 years due to an uptick in the number of local residents and businesses.
Logging traffic on the 80-kilometre-per-hour stretch of highway between the Tlell River Bridge and Skidegate has also been increasing, she added, since trucks no longer operate out of Juskatla Inlet.
“I think it’s time for a review,” she said. “Many other communities in B.C. that are on a highway, when you get to that community there are lowered speed limits.
“When we do see traffic from tourists and residents coming back to us I think it would be something to look at, to make sure everybody’s safe.”
Asked about her desired outcome, Young said she was “leaving it in the hands of the experts.”
“That’s up to the review,” she said.
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A spokesperson for the ministry told the Observer speed change requests are reviewed by their traffic safety engineering group.
“They look at a number of factors, including current speed, highway design, type of road, size of traffic, sight distance, etc.,” they said.
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