Calls over the past few years by residents in and around Indian Road, located near Quamichan Lake, for North Cowichan to deal with their traffic concerns have finally come to fruition.
At its meeting on June 16, North Cowichan’s council directed staff to install three speed tables on Indian Road, between Maple Bay Road and Cygnet Drive.
Speed tables are longer than speed bumps and flat-topped, with a height of up to 3.5 inches and a length of 22 feet.
New signage indicating the speed limit of 30 km/h on the road will also be put in place, and a new stop sign will be installed for eastbound traffic on Indian Crescent.
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In 2020, council received a petition signed by 39 residents in the Indian Road area suggesting that some traffic-calming measures were necessary.
The petition pointed out there are concerns related to speeding of visitors to nearby Art Mann Park, the close proximity of the road to Queen of Angels School and the seniors at the Abbeyfield long-term care facility with mobility issues who regularly get out and about.
The petition also stated that members of the national rowing program, who practice in Quamichan Lake, like to bike to and from the lake for training and are at risk, as well as the area residents who regularly walk along the road.
“Speed bumps similar to what the municipality has done along Herd Road in Maple Bay and Drinkwater Road would effectively reduce the problem,” the petition said at the time.
“We urge you to proceed with this improvement for the health and safety of our residents in the immediate future.”
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At the meeting on June 16, Coun. Christopher Justice asked Clay Reitsma, North Cowichan’s senior manager of engineering, if installing traffic tables on Indian Road would be the best choice to help deal with the problem.
He said Art Mann Park has a boat launch and he wondered if speed tables would interfere with people taking their boats to and from the lake.
Reitsma said staff considered that and determined there will likely be some more noise as boat trailers go over the speed tables.
“But given the concerns of residents raised during our public analysis of the issue, speed was the main issue and the most effective way to control speed is by the use of speed tables,” he said.
“There are already bump-outs on the side of Indian Road that are meant to slow traffic down but clearly they were not working. The use of speed tables was also overwhelmingly supported by the residents.”
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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