News Release

City Gets Serious About School Zone Speeding

Two months have passed since the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) announced 30 km/h speed limits around elementary schools in Edmonton, but too many drivers are failing to get the message and continue to threaten the safety of school-aged children by speeding.

“We’ve been working with EPS to get the word out about the new school zones and watching how motorists are adapting to the change,” says Gerry Shimko, Executive Director of the City’s Office of Traffic Safety. “Unfortunately we’re not seeing nearly enough compliance, which raises serious concerns for the safety of children in Edmonton.”

Since the 30 km/h school zones were announced, EPS and the City’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) have issued 5,480 warnings to drivers who exceeded the school zone speed limits.

Of the 38,198 vehicles monitored, 56% were travelling at or below 30 km/h.

The ten locations with the poorest compliance were:

• St. Philip Elementary School, 144 Avenue/88 Street
• St. Boniface School, 40 Avenue/118 Street
• Northmount School, 140 Avenue/89 Street
• Ecole publique Gabrielle-Roy, 95 Avenue/87 Street
• Millwoods Christian School, Mill Woods Road/91 Street
• Ormsby Elementary School, 184 Street/62B Avenue
• Inglewood Elementary School, 127 Street/115 Avenue
• Talmud Torah School, 122 Street/Callingwood Road
• Holy Family Elementary-Junior High School/T.D. Baker School, Mill Woods Road E/17 Avenue
• St. Elizabeth Elementary School, Mill Woods Road/36 Avenue

“When we launched the 30 km/h school zones in September, we talked about an education period for drivers to learn about the new speed limits and change their behaviour,” says EPS Deputy Chief Brian Simpson. “That education period is now over. Going forward the EPS will be working with the Office of Traffic Safety to enforce the school zone speed limits with all tactics at our disposal, including manned enforcement and photo radar. School zone safety is a priority. It exists to protect our most vulnerable citizens, our children.”