6.

Playground Speed Limits

Recommendation:
That the June 8, 2017, City Operations report CR_4167, be received for information.

Report Summary
This report provides information on playground speed limits within the city and
offers recommendations on best ways to move forward should Committee wish
to advance the establishment of designated playground speed zones.

Previous Council/Committee Action

At the October 17, 2016, Community and Public Services Committee meeting, the
following motion was passed:
That Administration provide a report on playground speed limits within the City
and prepare recommendations.

Report
In December 2015, City Council approved a three-year funding plan for the Road
Safety Strategy (Vision Zero), which outlines the long-term goal of zero fatalities and
serious injuries from motor vehicle collisions. A key component of Vision Zero is the
adoption of the Safe Systems Approach, a holistic view that provides a framework to
assess, guide, and improve traffic safety. This approach pays particular attention to
childrens safety, as children are not able to judge vehicular approach speeds as well
as adults and are, therefore, more vulnerable.

The Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation Guidelines define playgrounds as

recreational facilities utilized primarily by children. This broad definition includes
outdoor playgrounds with play equipment, sports fields, ball diamonds, tot lots, and
indoor or enclosed facilities such as arenas and swimming pools. Edmonton has 417
parkland and green areas that are not currently considered as playgrounds based on
the definition mentioned above; however, under the Traffic Safety Act, an area can be
designated a playground zone by the introduction of a traffic control device, such as
new signage. Therefore, Council has discretion to determine the criteria for
establishing playground zones.

The following numbers provide a breakdown of the playgrounds within the city that
meet the criteria mentioned above:

ROUTING - Community and Public Services Committee, | DELEGATION - D. Jones/G. Cebryk/G.Shimko

June 8, 2017 - City Operations CR_4167
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 Playground Speed Limits

36 playgrounds currently benefit from 30 km/h speed reduction because they

are covered by existing school zones (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.); however, as
children play at playgrounds outside of school hours, and on non-school days,
even those partially covered by reduced speed limits are not necessarily safe
through the Vision Zero lens.
178 stand-alone playgrounds have no speed reduction in place.
194 playgrounds adjacent to schools require the school speed zone to be
geographically extended to cover the playground as well.

Administration has focussed its efforts on the playgrounds adjacent to schools and on
stand-alone playgrounds as areas for the implementation of playground speed zones.
Future discussions might include parklands and areas around larger recreational
facilities.

Other Municipalities
In order to determine best practices, Administration looked to five Canadian
jurisdictions - Vancouver, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Toronto, and Calgary - to investigate
how they designate speed limits around playgrounds. Of the five, Vancouver is the
only jurisdiction that has a playground zone speed limit in place. Neither Saskatoon
nor Ottawa have playground zones. Toronto determines playground zones according
to a selection criteria, and Calgary has playground zones restricted to playgrounds
adjacent to elementary schools, and, in some cases, to stand-alone playgrounds.
Initially, Calgarys school zones were effective from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and their
playground zones were effective from 8:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset.

In 2014, however, Calgary combined the two zones to create a uniform one that
reduced speed limits from 50 km/h to 30 km/h around schools and playgrounds from
7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The rationale for extending the times was to protect children
attending after-hour activities at schools, to reduce driver confusion around changing
hours in different zones, and to increase safety for road users who would now have
one type of zone sign with consistent start and end times city-wide.

Improving the overall safety of Edmontonians, especially children, has significant

support. A recent survey conducted by Banister Research and Consulting Inc. asked
405 members of the public questions about speed limits around playgrounds. The
following table provides the results.

Question Posed: Public Response:

When thinking about playgrounds adjacent to 85% -- yes (definitely or

schools, would you be in favour of a reduced probably)
speed limit to include the playground? 14% -- no (definitely or
probably not)
1% -- did not know or did not

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 Playground Speed Limits

respond

When thinking about stand-alone playgrounds, 85% -- yes (definitely or

would you be in favour of a reduced speed probably)
limit? 14% -- no (definitely or
probably not)
1% -- dont know/not stated

When thinking about the hours playground

speed limits should be in place at playgrounds
adjacent to schools, would you prefer:
49%
A set time such as 8 am to 9 p.m.
Dawn to dusk 37%
12%
Not in favour of playground zones
Dont know/not stated 3%

When playgrounds and schools are adjacent, 84% -- yes (definitely or

would you be in favour of a single speed-limit probably)
zone including both schools and playgrounds 15% -- no (definitely or
with the extended hours of a playground zone? probably not)
1% -- dont know, not stated

In short, Edmontonians showed significant support for the implementation of

playground speed limits, particularly for those attached to schools, but even for those
that stand alone.

Moving Forward
The City of Edmonton remains committed to improving public safety. When the
30 km/h school speed zones were implemented, injury collisions were reduced by
43 percent, injury collisions involving vulnerable road users (i.e. pedestrians and
cyclists) were reduced by 71 percent, and the average speed was reduced by 12
km/h. These positive results suggest that reducing speed limits around areas where
children congregate produces significant safety results.

In preparation for the 2017-2018 school year, and as part of its tiered approach to
increasing safety, Administration has expanded its school zones to include junior high
schools city-wide.The time is right to build on the momentum from increased public
safety that resulted from the introduction of school zones and to look now to
playgrounds.

Currently, the Traffic Safety Act states that the default speed limit in Edmonton is
50 km/h (unposted); Administration has to consider the following factors when
recommending future speed limits for playgrounds, communities, schools, complete
streets, and Vision Zero:

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 Playground Speed Limits

1. Requirements to sign all areas that are not the default speed limit.
2. Expense for speed limit signs per location, per community, and per
neighbourhood.
3. Potentially having multiple speed limits within communities, which would have
different enforcement times and dates.
4. Potential driver confusion over frequently changing speed limits.

Next Steps
There are a number of complexities that require Administration to do further work
before making a recommendation on how to proceed with the implementation of
playground speed limits. To make a recommendation at this time risks proceeding
with work that ultimately might not be necessary. One of the proposals under
consideration in the City Charter discussions is the ability for the cities to vary certain
portions of the Traffic Safety Act, such as the default speed limits. If this proposal is
included in the City Charters, Administration will have greater autonomy to impose
reduced speed limits and will recommend that a city-wide holistic speed limit review
be conducted. If this proposal is not included, Administration recommends moving
forward with a tiered plan to change speed limitsone that will accommodate
playgrounds, communities, schools, complete streets, and Vision Zero. The proposed
implementation plan with options would then be presented to Council within the first
quarter of 2018 and, subsequently, be included in the 2018 Spring SCBA for funding
consideration.

In the meantime, Administration will complete further work, research, and public
engagement regarding the potential implementation of playground zones. This would
include assessing the impacts that reduced speed limits might have on transit
scheduling.

Policy
C514 - Guidelines for the Implementation of Safety Measures Around Schools
C579 - Traffic Safety and Automated Enforcement Reserve (TSAER)

Public Engagement
Public engagement was conducted by Banister Research and Consulting Inc., and
the results were released on March 21, 2017. A total of 405 members of the general
public were asked questions about speed limits around playgrounds. Follow up work
will include broader consultation.

Budget/Financial Implications
A city-wide playground speed limit program, if implemented, is proposed to be
delivered through the approved Capital Profile CM-66-2555 Community Traffic Safety
Countermeasures, which is funded by the Traffic Safety Automated Enforcement
Reserve fund. The estimated cost for signage to stand-alone playgrounds at 178
locations is $1,500 per location, or $267,000. The estimated cost to change school

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 Playground Speed Limits

zone signs to playground zone signs at 230 locations (to cover playgrounds adjacent
to schools) is $1,500 per location, or $345,000. The total estimated cost is $612,000.

Implementing new playground speed limits would be accompanied by an awareness

campaign. The estimated cost of a driver education campaign to promote awareness
of the expanded playground zone program is $100,000, which will be covered within
the existing Traffic Safety operating budget.

Any additional enforcement resources will be determined once Council makes a

decision whether to proceed with a tiered plan to change speed limits citywide or only
as they relate to playgrounds.

Legal Implications
In addition to the installation of appropriate signage to set a lower speed limit for
playgrounds zones, amendments to the Speed Zones Bylaw would be required to
formally designate the selected locations.

Metrics, Targets and Outcomes

Metrics Targets Outcomes

Reduced speeds and 100% compliance to Long-term aspirational

injuries in playground speed limits in playground
zones. zones, along with zero
fatalities and serious
injuries.
goals are zero fatalities
and serious injuries
resulting from motor
vehicle collisions on
Edmontons roads.

Average speed reduction 10 km/h Improved safety for all

after implementation of 30 road users
km/h school zones. Continue to educate all
road users to increased
safety benefits linked to
speed zones.

Injury reduction after Injury collisions reduced Reduction in number of

implementation of 30 km/h
school zones.
by 40% injury collisions involving
Injury collisions vulnerable road users.
involving pedestrians To reduce the risk of
reduced by 50%. serious injuries involving
vehicles and
pedestrians around
schools and
playgrounds.

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 Playground Speed Limits

Percentage of 100% of Edmontonians Edmontonians have a full

Edmontonians who accept the value in Vision understanding of the
support the Zeros Safe Systems shared responsibility for
implementation of approach. road safety.
playground speed zones:
85% -- yes (definitely
or probably)
14% -- no (definitely or
probably not)
1% -- dont know/not
stated

Others Reviewing this Report

T. Burge, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy City Manager, Financial and
Corporate Services
R.G. Klassen, Deputy City Manager, Sustainable Development
R. Smyth, Deputy City Manager, Citizen Services
C. Campbell, Deputy City Manager, Communications and Engagement

Page 6 of 6 Report: 4167