File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

City Streets

Proposal to reduce Kamloops speed limits to 30 km/h moves forward slowly

Nov 27, 2025 | 4:39 PM

KAMLOOPS — A pilot project to reduce the speed limit on some Kamloops streets to 30 km/h has taken a step forward.

City of Kamloops staff are proposing a pilot project that would decrease the speed limit to 30 km/h on streets in the McDonald Park and Sagebrush neighbourhoods for a period of several months. Staff would then measure the program’s effectiveness and determine whether to recommend the reduction should be rolled out city-wide on a permanent basis.

At a Livability and Sustainability Select Committee meeting Thursday (Nov. 27), the three councillors who sit on the committee voted to take that forward for further discussion.

Transportation Manager Pervez Irani told committee members the McDonald Park and Sagebrush neighbourhoods were chosen in part because of their grid-like road layouts.

The pilot project is projected to cost $130,000, spent on signage and monitoring, among other expenses. That number could lead to even greater costs if the pilot led to recommendations for traffic-calming measures like speed humps or medians.

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Councillor Margot Middleton, who sits on the committee along with Councillors Nancy Bepple and Stephen Karpuk, suggested that money might be better spent on areas of greater need.

“In the city, we have some areas of high concern with traffic,” said Middleton. “Myself, I would rather see dollars spent on improving some of our problematic streets rather than into areas where, potentially, the problem isn’t as severe.”

Bepple noted the pilot project will give staff the ability to do more educated planning.

“It might seem obvious that we want to do traffic calming, but I’m assuming the pilot will tell them where best to put the traffic calming instead of just putting it out and hoping it works,” said Bepple. I’ve seen enough accidents involving pedestrians — or near-misses. I think this is a good place to start.”

The issue will go forward to a future Committee of the Whole meeting for debate with all of council.

More information can be found here.