Wallaceburg Coun. Carmen McGregor is thrilled after her motion to implement “school safety zones” received unanimous approval from Chatham-Kent council on Monday.
“It’s a good place to start,” McGregor told the Sydenham Current.
“It went through 16 to zero, so I was pretty happy. A couple of questions, but no opposition.”
McGregor’s amended motion calls for establishing the zones “adjacent to the main entrance and/or bus loading areas of schools within Chatham-Kent that allows for a reduction of the speed limit to 30 km/hr and permits double the speed limit fines.”
Council voted in favour of the motion, 16-0.
McGregor said the zones will be phased in starting this summer, beginning with elementary schools located in higher traffic areas.
“It will be impossible to do 52 schools this summer, to get them set -p with speed zones and notifications and everything that goes with changing those areas,” McGregor said.
“Hopefully we get the higher traffic areas for elementary done this summer.”
McGregor’s motion stems from a previous motion she successfully entered back in September to install a traffic light at the Murray Street and Reaume Avenue intersection in Wallaceburg.
She said staff will utilize traffic studies to determine where the higher traffic areas are located.
“It’s a lot different for the kids going into Holy Family than the kid’s going to St. Elizabeth,” McGregor said.
“St. Elizabeth is back in a little residential area… it is more crucial to get roads done like near Holy Family.”
Chatham-Kent’s bylaws are set to be amended to allow the zones to be implemented.
A staff report will come back to council in the near future.
