SASKATOON — It took an almost decade-long process of review and various public engagements before the city decided to change the speed limit in school zones while also introducing the new rule to playground zones.
The speed limit in school zones remains at 30 km/h, but instead of Mondays to Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., it will be year-round and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The implementation of the year-round speed limits also applies in playground zones.
City crews have been busy taking down the old signs and installing the new ones in time for the school opening next Thursday, Sept. 1. The 30 km/h rule does not apply to high schools in the city but they are still designated as school areas were making a U-turn is still restricted.
The city said that from 2013 to 2022 their transportation engineering staff worked with Saskatoon residents in accomplishing 77 traffic reviews in all neighbourhoods since the first neighbourhood traffic review was done nine years ago.
Concerns pointed out by the residents who participated in the public engagements, which considered neighbourhood traffic patterns, were the speed on residential streets and the safety of pedestrians.
As a result, the city installed traffic calming devices in many locations to help control the flow of traffic. However, in October 2018, the city council directed the administration in conducting a review of speed limits in residential areas.
Areas included were all residential, school and senior zones with the review conducted by the city’s transportation and engineering staff to determine if there is a need in reducing the speed limit in streets within the vicinities.
Included in the 2018 review were the practices of other municipalities and what’s best, and the public engagement and collision data collected from Saskatoon residents. Reduction of speed on all residential streets was recommended but it was not approved by the city council.
The administration held a separate review in November 2021 on all school, playground and senior zones, which the city council approved with school zones following the 30 km/h speed limit for the whole year from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. the same for playground zones.
The review also included the removal of the 30 km/h speed zones from high schools and designating them as school areas where making U-turns is still prohibited.
The city’s crews have been busy updating an estimated 3,000 signs for school zones while installing the new signs in playground zones. The estimated total cost of the project is $400,000.
The city has been coordinating with the Saskatoon Police Service, SGI and other stakeholders with the implementation of the changes with SPS tasked to enforce the speed limit and issuing tickets to motorists who will violate it.
The city has also launched a public awareness campaign since the changes were approved last year as they released updates through local media to prepare motorists for the changes on the speed limit in school and playground zones.
The information was also shared through the city’s social media channels, community associations, school divisions and the city councillors. The city also launched this month an advertising and awareness campaign through its website and social media channels, radio, print, newspaper, billboards, posters and other digital platforms.
For more information on the changes, visit saskatoon.ca/speedlimit.
