Speed limits to be decreased for over a dozen BC highways

The B.C. government has announced it will decrease the speed limits of several popular highways in the province.

On Tuesday, Transportation Minister Claire Trevena made the announcement, citing research that showed B.C. highways with increased speed limits saw more crashes.

Highways with reduced speed limits are:

• Highway 97C: Aspen Grove to Peachland – 120 km/h to 110 km/h
• Highway 97C: Merritt to Aspen Grove – 110 km/h to 100 km/h
• Highway 7: Agassiz to Hope – 100 km/h to 90 km/h
• Highway 1: Whatcom Road to Hope – 110 km/h to 100 km/h
• Highway 1: Boston Bar to Jackass Mountain – 100 km/h to 90 km/h
• Highway 3: Sunday Summit to Princeton – 90 km/h to 80 km/h
• Highway 1: Chase to Sorrento – 100 km/h to 90 km/h
• Highway 97A: Grindrod to Sicamous – 90 km/h to 80 km/h
• Highway 1: Tobiano to Savona – 100 km/h to 90 km/h
• Highway 99: Horseshoe Bay to Squamish – 90 km/h to 80 km/h
• Highway 99: Squamish to Whistler – 100 km/h to 90 km/h
• Highway 99: Whistler to Pemberton – 90 km/h to 80 km/h
• Highway 19: Parksville to Campbell River – 120 km/h to 110 km/h
• Highway 19: Bloedel to Sayward – 100 km/h to 90 km/h
• Highway 1: Cowichan Bay to Nanaimo – 90 km/h to 80 km/h

The decision comes nearly five years after the BC Liberals instituted a maximum speed limit of 120/km along the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Kamloops, the Okanagan Connector (Highway 97C) from Aspen Grove to Peachland and Highway 19 from Parksville to Campbell River.

A recent UBC study based on police reports, auto insurance claims and ambulance call dispatches indicated fatal crashes had more than doubled since the increase was implemented.

The province has yet to announce when the changes will come into effect.