Thank you to everyone who participated in the 1st Street traffic calming review and for your continued patience throughout this process. Community input is a central component of the City’s Traffic Calming Policy and plays an important role in shaping practical, effective responses to neighbourhood traffic concerns.

Following a comprehensive review, staff presented a detailed report to Council on April 29, 2026, outlining the consultation process, technical analysis, community feedback, and policy considerations. Based on this work, Council endorsed a set of low-cost, targeted safety improvements that respond directly to identified concerns while maintaining flexibility for future corridor planning.

The approved measures focus on improving safety and access through strategic, targeted interventions, including:

• The installation of a marked pedestrian crosswalk with a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) along the Keeneland Avenue frontage.
• Parking enhancements and localized traffic calming measures in the vicinity of Menzies Avenue, including improved parking layout, modest lane narrowing, and the installation of an upgraded speed reader board.

The Council report is available online for review.

Next steps

Staff are now advancing these targeted, low-cost improvements into the preliminary design phase. The intent is to deliver practical safety benefits in the near term while continuing to monitor corridor performance over time. Community input will remain an important consideration as designs are refined and implemented.

Traffic calming is planned along 1st Street between Menzies and Keeneland avenues, with targeted upgrades planned at four key intersections:

• Menzies Avenue and 1st Street
• Woods Avenue and 1st Street
• "Lost Creek Lane" and 1st Street (Puntledge Park Frontage)
• Keeneland Avenue and 1st Street

This initiative supports safer, quieter and more livable neighbourhoods. The neighbourhood has shown a desire for traffic calming and has submitted a petition to the City. By using data combined with community input, the City can build a more resilient and responsive transportation network.

In fall 2024, the City of Courtenay introduced the Traffic Calming Guide and Policy in response to ongoing community concerns about traffic safety, including speeding and noise in residential areas. This guide provides a structured framework for evaluating and prioritizing traffic calming measures using impartial criteria and engineering best practices.

In early 2025, residents of 1st Street (from Menzies Avenue to Powerhouse Road) requested an initial screening under the new policy. After passing the initial review and receiving majority community support, the project moved into data collection and analysis.

• 1st Street at Menzies Avenue
• 1st Street at Puntledge Park
• 1st Street at Embleton Crescent
• 1st Street at Keeneland Avenue
• 1st Street at Arden Road
• 1st Street at Powerhouse Road

Following a detailed report by an independent traffic engineer, the intersections at Menzies, Woods, Keeneland and Puntledge Park (at “Lost Creek Lane”) were identified for traffic calming initiatives.