No response yet on Huxley Park reduced speed zone

Rachelle Stein-Wotten

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder

A request for a reduced speed zone and crosswalk at Huxley Community Park is still under review by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

In the spring, the Regional District of Nanaimo’s Electoral Area B director, Vanessa Craig, submitted a formal request for a lowered speed zone with letters of support, including from the RCMP, to the ministry. The RDN director followed that request up with a package of photos and maps of the area calling for installation of a crosswalk at the entrance of the park, and that, following installation, street parking be reviewed to determine if pedestrians using the crosswalk are visible, and, if not, to install no-parking signs to improve sight lines.

Craig has not received a response from the ministry thus far.

As of August 26, the request is under review by MOTI engineers, according to the ministry.

“Any designated playground zone or crosswalk location needs to be approved by the ministry in accordance with its traffic engineering warrants,” the ministry said.

When considering whether to set up a crosswalk in an area, MOTI looks at pedestrian and traffic volumes; age and ability of local residents; roadway characteristics such as grade, sight lines, number of traffic lanes and vehicle speeds; location and community characteristics; and driver behaviour in the area. Ministry engineers would also complete a speed limit assessment.

“This fall there will be a meeting between MOTI and electoral area directors at which time I will follow up the issue for an update,” Craig said.

Craig encouraged anyone who wants to write a letter of support for a lowered-speed zone around Huxley Park to send a letter to MOTI central island representatives Nikki Schneider and Angie Allwood, and to cc her, vanessa.craig@rdn.bc.ca.