30 km/hr school speed limits back on city's agenda

Edmonton city councillors will again look at implementing 30 km/hr speed limits near schools.

School zone speed limits havent been in effect since the 1970s. In the past decade, there have been three reviews on whether to bring them back.

Each time traffic congestion and and low speed violations have been found to be a greater issue so they were never put back in place.

But city administrators say parents are pushing for the lower speed limits.

The calls we get either start with or finish with: A child is going to going to die, said Gerry Shimko, executive director of the Office of Traffic Safety. It's typically a mother or somebody that is extremely frustrated.

A report prepared by city administration notes that a 30 km/hr speed limit increases the odds a pedestrian will survive a collision with a vehicle.

However, enforcement is the key to making the school zones have any effect.

The initiative also means increased costs from new signs, education campaigns and additional enforcement.

Councillors will discuss the report when the transportation committee meets on Wednesday.