Vancouver to reduce speed limits on busy roads near 9 elementary schools

The City of Vancouver is requiring drivers to further slow down on busy roads near nine elementary school zones in an effort to reduce traffic incidents.

Starting March 27, a new pilot project will lower speed limits to 40 km/hr for arterial routes on seven school zones, and 30 km/hr for collector streets on two school zones. An arterial road is wide, with two or more moving lanes carrying a higher volume of vehicles. A collector road moves traffic between local streets to arterial roads.

"Parents feel like there's near-misses and the possibility of collisions particularly when you have heavily [walking] routes," said Coun. Lisa Dominato, adding the parents' concerns prompted the initiative.

Dominato says some schools on busier arterial routes are not visible.

"It may not be obvious to the driver that there's a school on that road and they're approaching, even though there's a little bit of signage."

The pilot, part of the city's Vision Zero effort to eliminate all traffic deaths and serious injuries, will be in effect during school hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days.

It will affect arterial roads around the following schools: 

• Dr. Annie B. Jamieson on 600-700 W 49th Ave.
• John Norquay on 4600-4700 Slocan St.
• Florence Nightingale on 400 E 12th Ave.
• Dr. George M. Weir on 5900 Rupert St.
• Stratford Hall on 3000-3100 Commercial Dr.
• Henry Hudson on 1900 Cornwall St.
• šxʷwəq̓ʷəθət (Crosstown) on 0 Expo Blvd.

Meanwhile it will affect collector roads around:

• Sir Wilfrid Laurier on 800 W 57th Ave.
• Waverly on 6100-6200 Elliott St.

The speed limits for school zones located on major road networks such as Kingsway, Broadway or 41st Avenue will not change.

The city says it will display regulatory signs and localized signage at the schools. According to Dominato, the city has also enlisted the help of Vancouver police to monitor the areas, in addition to volunteers.

The city will re-assess the program in the spring of 2024 and determine if it will be expanded.

Calls for stricter enforcement

Michael Lang, team lead for the District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) for Active Transportation and Safe Routes to School, is calling for stricter enforcement of speed limits that would run year-round, including the use of automated speed checkers and speed cameras.

"Even 30 km/hr is not being respected by a lot of people," said Lang.

"Are they just going to put signs up? Because that hasn't been working in the past so I think a lot more people would like to see a different kind of enforcement and better road design."

Dominato says automated speed enforcement "is something we'll need to look into further as a council."

Lang says DPAC often hears from parents whose children have had dangerous interactions on the road. 

"It's an issue I would think a lot of parents don't feel is being addressed," said Lang. 

"One of the issues is that no one collects this information in terms of how many children or how many families have crashes or have been harmed by crashes."