Grace period for 30-km/h zones coming to an end

A grace period for drivers who speed through newly marked city playground zones will likely come to a screeching halt this spring.

The city began installing signs marking 30 km/h speed limits in playground zones around the city in late 2017, but officials have handed out zero tickets so far.

“They wanted everyone to get used to the signs being there before they started ticketing, and we’re still in the process of putting up signs,” the city’s traffic safety spokesman, Gary Dyck, said Thursday.

The playground speed zones are technically enforceable the moment the signs go up, but in hopes of voluntary compliance, the city allowed the grace period for drivers to adjust.

Automated enforcement in the playground zones is expected to begin this spring, although police can issue tickets in the meantime. Dyck said an announcement will be made when the automated enforcement begins.

When city council unanimously voted for the change in September 2017, the plan was for zones to be created beside 178 city playgrounds. Any playground on a major or arterial road was to get fencing along the road instead.

The lower speed limit is in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day.

In addition to creating zones around standalone playgrounds, existing school zones are being turned into playground zones. Dyck said enforcement in schoolturned-playground zones will begin shortly. Enforcement is still happening in school zones that have yet to switch over.

Crews need to complete the changeover from school to playground zones for about 40 more schools, a process that Dyck said should be completed by late March, pending weather delays.

Elementary and junior high schools have lower speed enforcement zones, but high schools do not.

Ward 10 Coun. Michael Walters made a motion to have council look at definition and implementation of playground zones, particularly on collector roads, but that discussion was delayed and won’t happen until April.

“I think the implementation hasn’t been very good and I’m concerned about that,” Walters said in a phone interview on Sunday, describing confusing signage and zones being set up alongside fields or fenced-in green spaces where children do not go.

“I think there’s an inconsistency and confusion that leaves citizens shaking their heads a bit based on how this was implemented.”

He said he’s hopeful adjustments can be made after hearing back from administration in April.

Council will also be debating the issue of speed limits in residential areas as early as this spring.