Saskatoon committee endorses extending school zone times, adding playground speed zones
Saskatoon could soon extend the time school zones are in effect and introduce new speed limits for drivers passing a playground.
On Monday the city’s transportation committee approved recommendations from city administration, which would be implemented in 2022.
Jay Magus, director of transportation for the city, said children are on school grounds outside of the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. timeframe in which school zone speeds are in effect, so it made sense to extend the school zone speed limits.
“Extracurricular and after school activities extend hours of use of the school, children access playground equipment at schools and parks throughout the year,” Magus said.
“This sets clear expectations for driver behaviour in the vicinity where children may be adjacent to the road.”
The city also recommends removing school zone speed limits from high schools and instead designating those areas as school areas with no reduced speed limit.
On top of the extension of school zone speed limits, the city’s administration recommended slowing drivers to 30 km/h in areas where a playground is adjacent to a street.
Playground speed limits would also be in effect throughout the year, seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Magus said playground zones would reduce risk of conflicts between vehicles and children, provide warning for drivers and require them to slow down.
The city said the signage required for these changes sits at $830,000.
In terms of speed zones for areas in the city with a high concentration of seniors, the city said it’s looking at traffic-calming measures and extending crosswalk times in areas with high pedestrian volumes.
The proposal will head to city council for approval.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Some structural damage' from wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., mayor confirms
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver says he got a cellphone ticket for using his points app in the drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
B.C. YouTuber ordered to pay $350K for 'relentless' online defamation campaign
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things 'full circle'
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
'Endless Shrimp' just one misstep for Red Lobster as it eyes bankruptcy protection
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
B.C. man shot sex worker in the back during drug-fuelled birthday, court hears
A man from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been sentenced to four years behind bars after shooting a sex worker in the back during a drug-fuelled 43rd birthday.
'Inhumane conditions': 68 dogs pulled from Winnipeg home
Nearly six dozen dogs were seized from a home Wednesday morning by the Winnipeg Humane Society. It is the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
Driver said he smoked pot oil, took medication before Florida crash that killed 8 Mexican workers
A man with a long record of dangerous driving told investigators he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus, killing eight Mexican farmworkers and injuring dozens more, according to an arrest report unsealed Wednesday.