John French pitches his plan to provincial legislators at UBCM
District of Squamish councillor John French’s anti-speeding initiative is gaining momentum after successful meetings with legislators at this year’s Union of BC Municipalities conference.
French says he had a conversation at the late September conference with West Vancouver MLA Jordan Sturdy. "He’s very interested in this effort because he’s been asking for highway data for years and the information he has requested has not been provided to him," says French. "The data he’s been asking for would help determine where best to locate the infrastructure needed."
French also had some success approaching Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth. "Minister Farnworth listened to our brief presentation at the UBCM convention with interest and he shared some thoughts of his own that left me confident he’s open to the use of Average Speed Over Distance on our highway," says French.
Back in July, Public Works Manager Karl Buhr asked for and received Lions Bay Council’s support of French’s Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) pilot project along the Sea to Sky corridor. Later in the summer, The Watershed interviewed French, seeking a more detailed explanation of the ASOD model, and why he thinks it may be a solution to excessive speeding of vehicles along on Highway 99.
French says he is currently awaiting further word from Minister Farnsworth. He plans to keep pushing the potential ASOD pilot, "because automated speed enforcement has the potential to average out speeds, reduce the amount of time the highway is closed, reduce fatal collisions and push down the number of injuries on the highway."
He’s also received encouragement from law enforcement. "RCMP Staff Sergeant Gareth Bradley told me he and the RCMP support automated speed enforcement for Highway 99. He sees it as a complementary tool that would work well with current RCMP enforcement measures."
For more information, French points to a blog post by Werner Antweiler, an associate professor with the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia, who has a particular interest in transportation issues. Antweiler references a European Transport Safety Council report from Scotland that cites an impressive 97% drop in speeding of more than 10 mph (16 kph) on a controlled section of road. Further, Antweiler notes that researchers found that section control is cost effective, doesn't impede traffic flow, and homogenizes speed. "The difference in speed among vehicles is narrower, and that helps avoid collisions," he says.
In terms of local expertise, French calls Village Works Manager Karl Buhr "a great resource. He’s very knowledgeable about this issue."
French says he views speed enforcement as just one part of the puzzle for reducing crashes on the highway. "If it generated no fines and brought the crash rate on the highway to zero, I would call that a huge success."
He suggests that residents interested in seeing this project move forward should consider writing directly to Minister Farnsworth (mike.farnworth.MLA@leg.bc.ca) to express their concern regarding the existing speeding issues through the village, and to
show support for automated speed enforcement. "Grassroots communication like this carries significant weight," says French. "It would be helpful for the minister to hear from residents directly that this is a concern in a community bisected by the highway."
Have thoughts to share about speeding along the Sea to Sky? Leave your comments below, or email us at editor@lionsbaywatershed.ca
great news ! Just watched a few minutes ago another high speed driver crash into the right concrete barrier, spin 90 degrees, crash into the left median barrier southbound just before Ocean Point.
Just unbelievable how people are driving on the Sea to sky no matter what the conditions are.
Creepy, Police state if monitoring and enforcing speed limits ? Give me a break. Entire communities are suffering and endangered daily by people breaking the law !
The ASOD system has proven successful in Belgium, the UK, the Republic of South Africa among others, there is no reason why it shouldn't work here !
Doug, a few might exit into the Village but it defeats their objective, it makes them further behind if they had just reduced the speed posted. This system works, if you choose not to obey the posted sigh speed limit, be prepared to pay the fine.
This system works really well and has done for years in the UK. Drivers are warned they are entering a ASOD zone and fines will be issued if they choose to ignore it. The cameras would be as you approach the 60 kilometres zones on the highway and after you leave the 60 kilometres zone. Speed over distance would be greatly beneficial to reduce the almost constant speeding thru the Village boundaries on the highway, this system is completely different from what we had before with photo radar, drivers are pre warned, and if they choose to ignore it they get fined, pretty simple really.
Interesting conversation. My gut reaction is no way — they have these all over England and it feels creepy, like you’re driving through a police state. But if they can isolate it to particular corners where deadly accidents are known to occur — and NOT the whole corridor — there might be something real to gain in terms of saving lives.
Great news! Thanks for sharing the current update on this, which affects everyone in the Sea to Sky corridor. Others speed and residents pay with hours-long waits, and missed appointments.