During the 2023 cruise season JBNA undertook a study to determine the effect of cruise vehicle traffic on James Bay streets. This report provides the JBNA analysis of this data with the following key observations.

1. Impact of Cruise Ships on Traffic Volume: There is a notable increase in vehicle traffic when cruise ships are in port, particularly on streets which provide the most direct route between Ogden Point and Downtown. This increase is most pronounced during the hours 8pm to 11pm when three ships are in port when all the streets see a large traffic increase.

Example: “Dallas, South of Simcoe , May”: An average of 77 vehicles/15min vs. 29 vehicles/15min when no ships are in port.

2. Speeding: On several streets the higher vehicle volumes resulted in a higher number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit. However, this is not uniform across all streets. On streets where the traffic counter is located close to stop signs or pedestrian crossings there is a reduced likelihood of speeding. In general, higher traffic volume reduces the potential for speeding (Pages 20 & 21). The highest incidence of vehicles exceeding a 50 km/h speed limit occurs on Oswego St. during the hours 8pm to 11pm when three ships are in port. There is excessive speeding on Douglas St. where there is a 40 km/h speed limit.

Example: “Oswego, North of Ontario, May”:  An average of 7 vehicles/15min exceed the speed limit vs. 1 vehicle/15min when no ships are in port

3. Variability in Traffic Patterns. There are significant variations in traffic volumes both on “Cruise Ship” and on “No Cruise Ship” days. Factors such as day of the week, weather conditions, road works, length of cruise ship visits, and the number of passengers all influence traffic volumes. Therefore, the information provided in this report should be considered as indicative of the impact of cruise ship traffic rather than precise values.

Recommendations:

• The City of Victoria prioritize implementation of 30 km/h speed limits on Oswego Street and on ALL streets in James Bay classified as “Local”
• The speed limit from Mile 0 along Dallas Road through Kingston to Belleville Streets be reduced to 40 km/h
• Speed limits be strictly enforced within school zones, particularly on Oswego St.
• As a condition of allowing taxis or ride sharing services on its property, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) should require speed monitoring software to be active in vehicles serving GHVA while in James Bay
• GVHA stagger cruise ship arrival and departure times to reduce peak traffic volumes
• GHVA reduce the number of late evening ship movements after 10pm to reduce neighbourhood traffic and noise