Creating Thunder Road on Doncaster Drive

Saanich council has decided that the section of Doncaster Drive, north of Derby Road, is in need of “traffic calming.”

This will entail the installation of seven speed humps over less than 1,000 metres of roadway. There is also the apparent “requisite” of adding about 20 new signs, most on new 10-foot poles, on this short stretch of a relatively quiet street.

So there will then be 45 or more traffic control signs littering the landscape there, to keep us safe. Safe from what, I don’t know. ICBC crash statistics say there was a single fender-bender on this part of Doncaster over five years.

This is contrary to statements on the Saanich website:

“Generally, we no longer install speed humps on our streets. We have found through experience that they have some negative effects for traffic and neighbourhoods: Each speed hump can delay a large fire truck up to 10 seconds; cars driving over the speed humps are noisy; SUVs and trucks can still drive over them quite quickly.”

An initial email to Saanich Engineering concerning potential roadway flooding issues from erecting, effectively, a dam between the street that runs like a river at times and the adjacent storm drain went unanswered.

A subsequent email pointing out the anticipated “thump-thump” noise issues and tremors originating 15 metres from my pillow and including a video of the “river” running during a brief thundershower did eventually get a response, basically “Too Bad-So Sad.”

So to all of those unfortunate residents of Doncaster Drive with a hump arriving outside their front door … sleep well.

Welcome to Thunder Road.

Ray Morgan Saanich