Regina may lower school zone speed limit to 30km/h, adjust hours

A committee tasked with reviewing school zone safety in Regina is recommending lowering the speed limit from 40 km/h to 30 and shortening the hours of operation to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The report and recommendations will be presented to the city's executive committee on Wednesday.

School zones in Regina are currently in effect year-round from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Councillor Mike O'Donnell introduced a motion to lower the speed limit in school zones two years ago.

The committee recommended the speed restriction in 2017 but it was re-structured and asked to produced its final report for 2018.

The committee includes city staff, police, school division members, SGI and CAA.

"The hours may change when a school zone is operational because parents are more often dropping kids off and school times are different maybe a little earlier but not going so late," O'Donnell said.

The committee did not include whether or not the speed limit should be in effect year-round, but it said the city should make the policy consistent.

O'Donnell said aligning the school zone speed with the work zone speed at 30 km/h makes sense.

Here are the proposed changes to the city's Traffic Bylawwhich, if passed by council,would take effect in August,2019.

• A speed limit change to 30 kilometres per hour from 7 a.m.to 7 p.m. in school zones and playground zones.
• Prohibiting U-turns in school zones, increasing the visibility of the school zone and introducing traffic-calming initiatives.
• Establishing fines for speeding in school zonesto align with the provincial Traffic Safety Act fine amounts.

O'Donnell said he will push for the city to make passing and U-turns illegal in school zones.

"Kids don't understand U-turns, they don't know whether the car is coming or not coming," he said.

The recommendations will go in front of city council at the end of August.

O'Donnell saidit may take a year to make changes but the lowered speed limit could be in place during the upcoming school year.