School Zones: Raised Crosswalks, 30kms, Yellow Flashing Lights & Enforcement

In 2015, I requested Public Works to install two ‘raised crosswalks’ in front of Ryerson School on Dalhousie Drive as a pilot project. The goal was twofold:

• To act as traffic calming devices on a busy and curved road in front of an elementary school
• To enable Crossing Guards a highly visible area to stand when navigating children across a busy street
• To increase pedestrian and vehicular safety

Listen to the Ismaila Alfa interview on raised crosswalks (Aug 28, 2019):

The City has been monitoring these raised crosswalks since they were installed for effectiveness, cost and durability. Public Works staff will be bringing a report forward this November with a review and update of the City’s current technical standards and practices related to community traffic management and traffic calming.

There are many different types of traffic calming devices that can be used around schools and on City roads;

• 30km speed zones
• yellow flashing lights
• raised crosswalks
• police enforcement
• and other devices Winnipeg is not yet using.

The City will be studying all to see which are most effective, taking cost and maintenance into consideration. The cost of these two raised crosswalks, paint and signage is in the range of $7-10,000. I am a firm believer that when you change the built environment (the road) it has a dramatic impact on driver behaviour.