City of Lethbridge harmonizing playground and school zones

Ali added the zones will only add a few seconds on a driver’s commute, and “a few seconds is definitely worth [preventing] an injury or fatality.”

The City of Lethbridge Transportation Safety Plan, completed in 2021, included the recommendation of harmonizing school and playground zones, with a goal of zero transportation related deaths and serious injuries by 2040.

The City looked at similar initiatives in Calgary and Edmonton, which have seen success since being implemented. A joint study by the City of Calgary and University of Calgary revealed a 33 per cent reduction in pedestrian collisions since the program started, and between the hours of 5:30 to 9 p.m., a 70 per cent decrease.

Slow Your Roll was contacted by the City of Lethbridge when the initiative was being discussed and implemented. Chris Dipasquale, founder of the Slow Your Roll campaign, said, “Slow Your Roll has set out to make a shift in our awareness while driving and we’ve aimed to make our neighborhoods safer since the launch of our signs across Lethbridge three years ago.”

He added, “We support the City’s decision and believe it’s a step in the right direction. We will continue to make Lethbridge a safer place for our kids with our campaign as well as the community’s help.”

After the signs are installed in the coming weeks, the changes will officially come into effect on September 5, 2023.

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by Christian Oldale

City of Lethbridge harmonizing playground and school zones

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