City hall does not believe the speed limit in school zones or park areas needs to be changed after analyzing those areas and reviewing speed limits in other communities.
Coun. Doug Blanc asked city administration to review the speed limit in those zones during the June 14 regular council meeting. Administration then produced a report for the Aug. 23 meeting after determining whether changes were warranted.
“Administration has found that the city’s current school zone practice is consistent with other municipalities and is in effect during times that are congruent with school hours,” Bevan Harlton, director of engineering services, said in his report. “Administration recommends no further action on this matter.”
The speed limit in Moose Jaw’s school zones and playgrounds is 40 kilometres per hour — unless otherwise posted — as per the municipality’s traffic bylaw, Harlton explained. The speed limit is in effect from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Sunday for elementary schools, high schools, parks and playgrounds.
The earliest that both school divisions start is 8:20 a.m., while the latest time that schools finish is 3:30 p.m. and 3:35 p.m., respectively.
City hall looked at 10 other Saskatchewan communities and found that many have speed limits of 30 km/h in school, park and playground zones, while most have daily time restrictions in place.
The data showed:
- Two communities have speed limits of 50 km/h through park/playground zones
- Two municipalities have speed limits of 40 km/h through high schools, two have similar speed limits past elementary schools, and three have similar limits in parks/playgrounds
- Eight communities have speed limits of 30 km/h near high schools, eight have similar speed limits in elementary schools, and six have similar limits in parks/playgrounds
- One community has a speed limit of 30 km/h in high school zones from September to June before reverting to 40 km/h in July and August
- Seven municipalities have average daily time restrictions of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in high school zones, seven have similar restrictions in elementary school zones, and seven have similar times in parks/playgrounds
- One community has speed limit restrictions in high school, elementary and parks/playground zones every day of the week
- Three municipalities have unknown daily time restrictions in those three zones
“I question some of (the findings) … ,” Blanc said. “There are lots of activities that happen after school hours (and in) the evening. I will have to go through the report a little more.”
Blanc added that some residents have told him school zones and park zones should be in effect 24 hours a day, something with which he disagrees. Instead, he preferred to see such zones operate from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Harlton apologized for his report, saying he gave an average of each community’s speed limits. However, he felt averages didn’t provide an accurate picture, considering some zones start at 7 a.m. and end at 9 p.m.
Council appointments
During the Aug. 23 meeting, council approved the appointments of three councillors to act as deputy mayor and chairpersons of council committees for the next two months.
From Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, Blanc will be the deputy mayor, Coun. Jamey Logan will be the chair of the executive committee, and Coun. Crystal Froese will be the chair of the personnel committee.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Sept. 13.
