Apr 16, 2018 Council Updates

Possible Speed Changes Ahead – Feedback Requested!

Ward 4 residents—please take the time to complete a brief survey on speed management at the bottom of the page!

Roadway infrastructure, maintenance, and safety are among the most significant services that the City of Edmonton provides for Edmontonians. Which means that the City of Edmonton is committed to getting you from Point A to Point B as efficiently and as safely as possible. This task is a work in progress, as the City of Edmonton is always working on improving roadway conditions and networks.

In that vein, Councillors will be considering safety, accessibility and efficiency of travelling on Edmonton roadways this Wednesday, April 18. Members of the Community and Public Services Committee will discuss reports related to speed management—with two reports on:

  1. the implemented reduced speed limits in playground zones and
  2. potential options for speed management on residential roadways.

Playground Zones

As outlined in a previous blog post, the City of Edmonton has completed our transition of designating playground zones. A change that had unanimously passed Council in September 2017, playground zones established the 30 km/h speed limit across roadways adjacent to areas where there are higher volumes of children. The reduced speed limits remain in effect from 7:30 am to 9:00 pm, extending to roadways neighboring:

  • elementary and junior high schools,
  • playgrounds,
  • fields and
  • ball diamonds.

The implementation of Playground Zones is a part of the City of Edmonton’s Vision Zero policy, whereby the City of Edmonton is actively working towards completely eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways. Speed management is a critical aspect of traffic safety, as it is arguably the most important variable in improving the survival rates of pedestrians involved in traffic accidents.

Speed management seeks to balance the accessibility and safety of roadways while ensuring efficient mobility. Travelling too fast for the road conditions or above the posted speed limit is a common factor in fatal vehicular accidents. Additionally, speeding is a significant factor in increasing the likelihood of an accident and the severity of the injuries.

Vision Zero - Surival Rate Graphic

As your Councillor, I am committed to ensuring the safety of all our roadway users—motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. I am also committed to ensuring that the decisions I make in Council Chambers are best informed by the people I represent—the residents of Ward 4.

As Community and Public Services Committee considers speed management on our roadways, I am interested to hear what Ward 4 residents think on this topic. Please complete the brief survey below, with feedback on how you think we can best tackle speed management.

If the above survey is not working, it may be an iOS issue (for iPhone and iPad users)—you can access the survey here.