Pam Harrison

I AM PROFOUNDLY DISCOURAGED AND ANGRY. Yet another deer was killed in front of our rural property on October 3rd. I do not think the person in a small white sedan who hit the deer with full-on impact, who did not stop, or slow down, has any idea of the damage caused. The damage starts first with the pain and suffering of the animal. I saw it start to cross, hoped it would make it, and then heard and saw the impact. The rest of the damage is for the people who are left to deal with the situation. This included me and the two kind passers-by who stopped and provided traffic control as the deer with broken legs and other injuries kept trying to get up the steep slope, could not, and kept falling back into the road. We phoned all the correct numbers, waiting on hold each time. Then we waited nearly an hour, slowing traffic. Covering its head with a blanket calmed it and kept it still, but unfortunately Conservation, one of our calls, said not to do that. However, leaving it uncovered resulted in the animal moving uncontrollably, which was even less humane and risked more traffic problems. So I re-covered its head. I did not feel at risk, given its small size and the seriousness of the injuries. Saanich Animal Control attended towards the end of the hour. The deer was shot but not before it scrambled around again. The Animal Control officer followed prescribed protocol, but this added to the elapsed time. He was kind and calm. Although wildlife collisions are sometimes unavoidable, I know many could be avoided by slowing down and attentively scanning the sides of the roads. This collision could be in that category. Deer signs are put up for a reason. If you do hit an animal, have the compassion to stay and assist. Don’t leave it to others. Maybe dealing with it would convince you of the need to slow down. This is one of five recent incidents nearby, three at this location. At least four of the drivers did not stop. Two further facts are concerning. First, it was challenging for the two citizens to actually get people to really slow down. One was sworn at and given the finger. Secondly, the previous day we had observed the Tour de Victoria on this beautiful road. Although a number of drivers were considerate of the many riders as they laboured north up a narrow road between a blind hill and a blind corner, many behaved thoughtlessly, if not dangerously. We saw many who drove north fully in the oncoming traffic lane around the blind corner instead of waiting. And many who crested the hill from the south in the oncoming lane. And many times these same cars had to slow down to avoid oncomings, then move back into their lane, squeezing riders. Was there an accident or injury? No. Did riders thank us for trying to slow the traffic down? Yes. Did a significant number of drivers behave impatiently, indicating that they really do not understand what it is like for cyclists to be passed with speed and noise? Absolutely. This was a sanctioned, publicized event, but we see this frequently. Has Saanich done enough to address rural traffic concerns, major causes of which are speeds and aggressive driving? No. Solutions do exist, when are they going to be adopted? These are neighbourhoods: residents, wildlife and all users are affected. Pam Harrison lives in rural Saanich.

Safety and the climate emergency are being neglected on rural roads to the region’s detriment. LIVABLE ROADS FOR RURAL SAANICH (LRRS) advocates for safety and livability on five rural roads. We focus on Sparton, Goward, Prospect Lake, southern Old West Saanich and Oldfield because of strong experience here; safety issues also exist on other rural roads. While traffic impacts on rural environments are the primary problem, LRRS takes a broad view. We believe in the interconnectedness of Saanich’s stated goals regarding road safety, active transportation, environmental and heritage protection, livability, sustainability, and recognizing a climate emergency. In addition to overlooking safety issues, we believe there is a major disconnect regarding Saanich’s Climate and Active Transportation Plans vis a vis their inactivity on controlling speed and volumes of traffic through rural areas. It is not possible to effectively pursue climate solutions while enabling increased traffic on roads inappropriate for such use. 50 km/h on a narrow road is “slow” in rural Saanich Many residents and visitors do not feel safe using neighbourhood roads for any active transportation: walking, cycling or equestrian activities. Facing continually increasing traffic on these narrow winding roads—usually fast and aggressive traffic that is often commuter, commercial and industrial—there is now no longer a reliable place on the roads for other users. Outside of a vehicle, you usually no longer have a legitimate space on the road. This results in comments like these: “I will not walk a dog on Sparton due to danger from, and frequent abuse by, drivers”; “Walking my horse on Oldfield is terrifying”; “Walking on Old West Saanich, vehicles maintain speed, passing me within inches”; “Riding on Prospect Lake Road, close misses are commonplace”; “Recommended speed signs are consistently ignored on Goward”. After four years of work (and many years of previous attempts to get Saanich to address these long-developing problems) LRRS wonders why the progress on rural traffic issues is not more widespread and substantial. We find this especially puzzling in view of Saanich’s strong statements about the importance of road safety for all and shifting to active transportation modes for health benefits and the Climate Emergency. What does rural Saanich bring to the greater community? Rural Saanich brings a lot to urban Saanich and the Greater Victoria area, without demanding large infrastructure inputs. Many roads have changed little since first created, except for paving. Narrow, winding, hilly, with rocky outcroppings, blind corners and sometimes heavily treed, they are significantly below the engineering standards for the Collector Road designations they have been arbitrarily given. (Pavement width for the Collector Road designation is 11 meters; in many places these roads average under 6 meters.) They are adequate to perform their rural function, but not to withstand urban-like pressures. Outside the Urban Containment Boundary, the properties have remained generally larger, unserviced with intentionally little subdivision. The Rural Saanich Local Area Plan (2008) confirms “little appetite for commercial development.” This has kept the population, and the tax dollars gathered, relatively low. These same strategies have kept many other values very high. Rural Saanich provides significant forest canopy for the whole area, an essential environmental contribution in the face of Climate Change. Rural Saanich offers relatively intact and linked habitats and associated watersheds. As Saanich Parks points out, natural areas provide a classroom for “natural intelligence.” These are enduring fiscal, environmental and social benefits to residents and visitors alike. Farming provides all of the Greater Victoria area with a nearby source of local produce, plus an array of amenities such as farm stands, u-pick berry farms, horse boarding, rural cafes, markets, vineyards, local honey, wool, and horticultural supplies. The area is home to a portion of the Lochside Trail, other protected cycle routes and opportunities for canoeing, powerboating, fishing, and swimming. The many parks include spectacular hiking terrain and sought after mountain bike areas. Even the old fashioned drive through the country is a draw. Residents live with pride in Rural Saanich, giving back to the community by supporting the rural lifestyle (growing food, hay, and raising farm animals) while advocating for the respectful and quiet enjoyment of those visiting. We enjoy and protect rural features without depending on the municipality to provide amenities like septic, transit, sidewalks, separated bike lanes, crosswalks, and nearby shopping. Rural Saanich also houses the CRD Solid Waste facility at Hartland and the Residuals Treatment Facility. Rural Saanich is a valued destination, and this is a marketing strength for the municipality. Unfortunately, Rural Saanich can now feel more like an amenity itself than valued rural neighbourhoods. Too much car and truck traffic on unsafe roads at unsafe speeds Space precludes listing all the evidence residents have for this position, what has been attempted to date, and the obstacles encountered. We are told that much is being done towards rural traffic safety. Yet, the root issues continue to be ignored. We reference three projects. The Safety Review of Prospect Lake Road (a designated cycling route) has resulted in limited speed reduction, a choke point near a pond on a steep curve, bollards, rumble strips and much signage. However, the changes not embraced are significant: there has been no change to the speed limit on the whole corridor’s length. The result is that 50 kph and higher is still sanctioned, so vulnerable users’ safety has changed little. It also means that commuting is still encouraged (including trucks and commercial vehicles), which is the source of much of the volume and speed. There is no change to enforcement and no firm message that these roads go through neighbourhoods. Improvements to the intersection of West Saanich, Prospect Lake and Sparton Roads are years overdue: a very dangerous intersection on a 60 kph truck route near an elementary school. Although it will also bring enhancements to pedestrian safety from Whitehead Park to Prospect Lake Hall on Sparton, it will not bring traffic calming and speed reduction to the surrounding roads. These are not projected to receive any help, but will likely be further impacted by increased traffic flow as a result of the intersection work. The Speed Reduction Pilot Project, which Saanich hopes to start in summer/fall of 2021, promises a speed of 40 kph on unlined (called residential) roads. We are told the pilot is for low volume roads. Sadly, as currently written, it will not reduce the speed on any of our high volume lined rural roads. Here speed reduction is the first requirement to increasing safety (on these equally residential roads). No plan to rectify this glaring omission exists. What are the solutions and the benefits? The future of Saanich’s rural area will need to include both traffic calming and reduced speed limits on lined and unlined roads to increase safety and livability for all. Especially as much of the traffic is simply transiting the neighbourhoods; the ever increasing volumes are grossly disproportionate to rural growth. Please note: we do not ask for the roads to be changed. Upgrading to standards of new construction is prohibitively expensive, and a flawed option. Even so-called improvements such as widening and straightening, tree removal, and blasting of rocky outcroppings can contribute to increased speed and loss of rural character. Most importantly, we are not asking for no traffic; we are asking for slowed, calmed traffic for all. We are asking for Rural Saanich to stay rural. Slowing and calming the traffic will economically increase safety for all users, reduce accident and injury (including to wildife), reduce noise, reduce emissions, increase the feeling of neighbourhood and community and reduce the pressure on all drivers. Last but not least it will shift the tone away from “car is king” to “a shared space for all”—what our narrow rural roads should be. Additionally, low budget calming interventions such as speed platforms, choke points, small traffic circles, signage to support cyclists and portable speed reader/messaging boards conveying a strong statement about neighbourhood should be implemented over time. A change in attitude to commercial traffic off the three designated truck routes (using the rural roads instead) needs to be embraced by both Saanich and Central Saanich. The majority is transiting to and from the Keating Business District and beyond. After four years, we are still unsuccessful in getting the two municipalities to discuss this. Encouraging other modes of transport, like cycle commuting on Oldfield and Old West, would also benefit everyone, and act on the Climate Emergency. The rise of e-bikes makes it clear that a much greater range of cycle commuters would use these roads if it were safe to do so. In conclusion, change is needed in order to provide safe passage, preserve the rural lifestyle, recreational benefits and the climate emergency significance of Saanich’s rural area, for everyone. The Urban Containment Boundary means little if urban traffic patterns are allowed to dominate in the rural setting. The initiatives undertaken, be it Active Transportation or the three rural projects we have mentioned above, are simply not providing the effective traffic calming needed on the lengths of these roads. As of now there is no stated intention to embark on any other rural solutions, on these roads. Rural residents do not ask for or need urban solutions. We are not needing projects of an Uptown or a Shelbourne scale. But we are asking for a timely commitment to simple interventions to give us the same level of comfort and safety that everyone should expect on their neighbourhood’s roads. Livable Roads for Rural Saanich (LRRS) is a volunteer-run group advocating for increased safety and livability on five roads within Rural Saanich. See more at https://lrrs.org.