Whereas the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure does not install speed mitigation measures on provincial roads, giving the rationale that provincial roads belong to all the citizens of British Columbia as they serve to promote the economy and inter-provincial movement of people and goods; And whereas the criteria provided by the Ministry of Transportation applies to all roads under the Provinces jurisdiction, whether they are numbered highways, rural roads or local subdivision roads: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to develop a matrix to determine the primary uses of the provincial roads, and base safety and speed mitigation measures on the primary uses of provincial roads rather than a blanket criteria.
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure The ministrys priority is to keep all road users safe while balancing the need to move goods and people efficiently throughout the province. Provincial roads serve to promote this efficient movement of goods and people, and as such, the ministry does not place restrictions or construct physical impediments such as speed humps that may limit road use except for hazardous goods or weightheight restrictions. Speed humps in particular can create new safety issues as motorist do not expect them on numbered routes or rural roads, impact road maintenance, and limit access from largerlower vehicles including emergency vehicles and delivery vehicles. These types of physical road alterations are more suitable for urban environments. The ministry has many different approaches to address road safety, including appropriate speed limits and signage, speed-reader boards and working closely with law enforcement. We undertake rigorous assessments to determine appropriate safety requirements, based on site specific factors and using professional judgment and expertise. As such, a matrix approach based on general highway uses is not appropriate for our diverse provincial road network. Ministry staff would be pleased to meet with any local government representatives to discuss the safety performance of roads in their community.