Abstract Manager

On collector and arterial streets, the speed limit within school zones is 50 km/h. Multiple school communities have requested speed reductions in school zones adjacent to arterials or collectors to address safety concerns and to improve the comfort of students using active modes of travel. In March 2023, the City of Vancouver launched a pilot to reduce speeds on arterial and collector streets at nine school zones.

The pilot is one of the ongoing measures Vancouver is taking to advance Vision Zero efforts to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. Studies show that lowering vehicle speeds can significantly reduce the impact and likelihood of crashes and make streets safer for people who walk, bike and roll.

To evaluate the impact of the pilot, vehicle speed and volume data was collected before and after the speed reduction measures were implemented. In addition, survey data of family’s safety perceptions were conducted at participating schools. Overall the results were as follows:

• Modest speed reductions were observed.
• Most families felt safer while walking on the sidewalk or crossing the arterial street after the pilot.
• The majority of the families support the speed limit reduction to remain after the pilot.

Next steps could include an expansion of speed limit reductions to remaining schools adjacent to arterial and collectors. Moreover, complementary speed management measures could be implemented at challenging locations where signage alone is not effective to self-enforce the reduced speed limit.