Following petitions from parents and several speeding drivers, a number of Vancouver school zones are slowing down.
Starting March 27, the City of Vancouver is launching its first pilot to reduce speed limits in nine school zones.
“This pilot is just one of the many steps we are taking towards making Vancouver’s streets safer for children, seniors, and people with disabilities,” says Mayor Ken Sim in a press release.
The pilot will run exclusively at elementary schools and speed limits will only be in effect during school hours, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., on school days.
The following streets and blocks will slow down from 50 to 40 km/h:
- Dr. Annie B Jamieson — 600–700 W 49th Ave.
- John Norquay — 4600–4700 Slocan St.
- Florence Nightingale — 400 E 12th Ave.
- Dr. George M Weir — 5900 Rupert St.
- Stratford Hall — 3000–3100 Commercial Dr.
- Henry Hudson — 1900 Cornwall St.
- šxʷwəq̓ʷəθət (Crosstown) — 0 Expo Blvd.
Two schools will see speed reductions from 50 to 30 km/h:
- Sir Wilfrid Laurier — 800 W 57th Ave.
- Waverly — 6100–6200 Elliott St.
Speed limits for school zones on the major road network, such as Kingsway, Clark Drive, Knight Street, Broadway, and 41st Avenue, will remain unchanged.
Alongside newly installed regulatory signs, Community Policing Centre volunteers will be present at some locations to remind drivers of the new speed limits.
City of Vancouver staff will report back to Council in the spring of next year with data results and public feedback from the pilot to help determine if Vancouver should expand the speed limit reduction to additional elementary schools.
