As families prepare for a new school year, the City of Calgary is reminding drivers to slow down and be alert around school zones. The city is adding traffic-calming measures at 50 schools, including speed cushions and extended curbs designed to slow vehicles and make crossings safer. “The goal is not simply to add infrastructure. The goal is to use the right safety treatment at the right location,” said Surendra Mishra with the City of Calgary. Calgary police say the changes can make a big difference. “People will look ahead of them and see that the road is narrower and will automatically start to slow down,” said Const. Les Mills with the Calgary Police Service traffic safety unit. The city is also adding rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) at some crossings. The lights are designed to make pedestrians more visible to drivers. Mishra says driver yielding at some crossings increased from about 70 to 75 per cent to as high as 95 to 100 per cent after the beacons were installed. The city says it uses feedback from schools, school boards and the public to identify areas that need additional safety measures. Police will also be out around schools throughout September. Officers say the initial focus will be on education rather than issuing tickets. “Everybody’s going to be nervous. Everybody’s worried about getting their kids to school,” Mills said. For parents like Amanda Hibbs, whose children walk to school, the changes offer some peace of mind. “I feel like it’s 100 per cent safer for them to be going across by themselves,” she said.
