What you need to know
Studies show that lowering vehicle speeds can significantly reduce the impact and likelihood of crashes and make our streets safer for people who walk, bike, and roll.
We've reduced speed limits near specific schools to enhance safety for students and encourage drivers to slow down around schools.
What's happeningProgram updates
In March 2023, we launched a pilot to reduce speeds on arterial and collector streets in 9 school zones.
Speed data and parent feedback was collected 1 year after the changes to evaluate the pilot impacts. Overall, modest speed reductions were observed, and parents expressed strong support for keeping the reduced speed limits.
Based on the positive results, we are recommending expanding the speed reductions to all remaining school zones on non-major road network (MRN) arterials and collectors.
We are planning to reduce speed limits at 10 more corridors covering 16 schools by fall 2024.
Schools and streets impacted
The program is running mostly at elementary schools, as elementary school-aged children are among our most vulnerable road users.
Reduced speed limits are in effect during school hours only, from 8am to 5pm on school days:
- School zones on arterial streets have their speed limits reduced from 50 km/hr to 40km/hr.
- School zones on collector streets have their speed limits reduced from 50 km/hr to 30km/hr.
School slow zone lawn sign campaign
You can display a School Slow Zone lawn sign next to your school or property to encourage drivers to slow down around schools. These signs are a tool to make all road users aware of their speeds as they travel near our schools.
Contact us
Email: towardszero@vancouver.ca