Lower speed limits not coming to Kamloops anytime soon

Kamloops won’t be forcing drivers to slow down.

City council decided this week against both slowing residential speed limits to 30 km/h and adding traffic calming measures.

It comes months after Coun. Stephen Karpuk first suggested slowing speeds in all residential neighbourhoods. He then modified his suggestion to a pilot project that would target just two neighbourhoods.

City staff studied the idea and came back months later to suggest the McDonald Park area and Sagebrush.

“As a health-care provider over the years, I can tell you I’ve met dozens of people who were hit by cars. Whether they’re on a bike, on a scooter or crossing with their kid in a buggy. And I don’t like to see the results,” Karpuk, who’s a chiropractor, said at the Jan. 22 council meeting.

Some councillors were concerned about the cost of the pilot study and of whatever traffic calming measures may come after, like speed bumps.

While Coun. Nancy Bepple agreed with Karpuk and suggested going either route would mean progress toward council’s previously stated goal of reducing traffic deaths.

Considering whether to either study ways to calm traffic or reduce speed limits, council voted against both.

Though some communities in BC have reduced speed limits in residential areas, Kamloops follows the broad provincial law that sets a 50 km/h speed limit on local roads.