With thousands of students heading back to school this week, the province is improving transportation safety planning for new and existing schools with the release of the School Area Traffic Safety Guidelines for Manitoba. This announcement was made by Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton.
“This comprehensive manual and safety assessment tool kit will provide direction for transportation authorities, school administrations and divisions to better address traffic safety issues within school areas,” said Minister Ashton. “With more children being driven to school today than in the past, a school’s transportation facilities may not be operating as originally planned.”
The guidelines were developed with the assistance of several school and transportation-related organizations along with numerous stakeholders including the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba Public Insurance, Green Action Centre, RCMP and the Manitoba School Boards Association.
“School officials try to make every step of the education journey as safe as possible from early years to high school graduation, and this new guide will help make the final few steps to the school building a safer one,” Education and Advanced Learning Minister James Allum said.
He noted the guideline recognizes that schools have different surroundings and circumstances, and a one-size-fits-all strategy will not work. The guideline recommends that a team be formed as the first step of the planning process. The guide is primarily geared toward assisting existing schools with transportation issues, but also provides information to facilitate the planning of transportation elements at new schools.
The province is also reminding drivers to pay attention to increased pedestrian, bicycle and school-bus traffic and to slow down in school zones.
“Back to school means more children walking and biking on our roads, and drivers need to take special care,” said Minister Allum. “I encourage Manitobans to help start the new school year safely by watching out for students as they travel to and from school. Be ready to stop at all times, and remember children don’t always notice oncoming traffic. It is up to everyone to ensure the safety of those going to school.”
The maximum speed for Winnipeg elementary schools (kindergarten through Grade 6) on non-regional roads is 30 km/h from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, September to June. The reduced speed zones extend a maximum of 150 metres from the edge of the property including fields and playgrounds.
Download the School Area Traffic Safety Guidelines for Manitoba
