Lower speed limit for student safety: councillor

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This article was published 21/07/2020 (1899 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHILDREN are set to face a pandemic-caused “mobility emergency” when school resumes in September, sparking the need for immediate action to support active transportation alternatives, according to the Winnipeg Trails Association.

“We’re looking forward to a September where there is a lot of uncertainty for parents. They’re being told to find (alternative modes of transportation to school buses) and really the alternatives that are mostly being (pointed to are) essentially the private automobiles,” said Anders Swanson, the association’s executive director.

If all school bus demand shifts to personal vehicles, it could fuel major congestion and pollution around schools, said Swanson.

In late June, Manitoba Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen said parents will be asked to drop off and pick up children from school every day to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 on school buses. Students whose parents are unable to provide any other transportation to school will be given priority bus seating.

Swanson called on the city to quickly reduce the speed limit on all residential streets to 30 kilometres per hour, add traffic-calming measures and create neighbourhood cycling networks. He said those steps are critical to ensure kids can safely walk and cycle to their schools before classes resume.

City council is set to vote on a 30 km/h speed reduction pilot project on at least five local streets this Thursday.

Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she also supports the call for citywide 30 kilometre-per-hour residential speed limits.

“There are going to be more children walking to school and riding their bikes to school. In order to make them a lot safer, we have to plan and act now,” said Rollins.

The councillor, who chairs council’s protection and community services committee, promised to continue to lobby for a widespread speed limit reduction and more traffic-calming measures.

She did not announce specific new steps to accomplish that goal on Tuesday.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga