By Tyler Sutherland
Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton speaks to reporters on Thursday, November 6, 2014. (CHRISD.CA FILE)
WINNIPEG — As kids head back to school for another year, the Manitoba government has come out with traffic safety guidelines to ensure they arrive safely.
The School Area Traffic Safety Guidelines (PDF) were developed with the input of several school and transportation-related organizations, along with city officials, Manitoba Public Insurance, Green Action Centre, RCMP and the Manitoba School Boards Association.
“This comprehensive manual and safety assessment tool kit will provide direction for transportation authorities, school administrations and divisions to better address traffic safety issues within school areas,” said Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton.
“With more children being driven to school today than in the past, a school’s transportation facilities may not be operating as originally planned.”
The first recommendation of the document is the creation of a team to form the planning process.
“The guide is primarily geared toward assisting existing schools with transportation issues, but also provides information to facilitate the planning of transportation elements at new schools,” the province said in a release.
School zone speed limits were once again decreased on September 1 to 30 km/h from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday until June.
