Speed limit in Vancouver school, playground zones 30 km/h around the clock

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Vancouver council has approved implementing a speed limit of 30 km/h in school and playground zones, 24 hours a day.

Council also approved a trial of reduced speed limits in the Grandview-Woodland area, and a pilot project to advance lower speed limits on other local streets. Priority locations include the Strathcona and Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhoods.

Council, at its regular meeting Tuesday, further approved the development of another pilot project to allow people to use “micromobility devices” on bike paths and roads, according to a staff report.

Currently, under the provincial Motor Vehicle Act, speed limits are 50 km/h on all Vancouver streets, unless otherwise posted. Speed-limit reductions are in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days.

However, a blanket reduction in speed limits on local streets has been a city goal since 1997, says the report.

Good work from @CityofVancouver w/ 2020 Transportation Safety Update, moving forward on slower safer streets, neighbourhood traffic management, and engaging MVA-approved pilot to test blanket speed limit reduction on local streets. Unanimous approval from council #VisionZero #30k pic.twitter.com/iMuBqQOek7

— Pete Fry (@PtFry) July 7, 2020

In 2019, council directed staff to investigate a pilot for 30 km/h zones on residential streets and ways to improve road safety around schools.

Now council has approved the creation of a slow-zone pilot within the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood.

“The area already has traffic-calming measures and the pilot will test an official speed-limit reduction. Signs will be posted to alert drivers the speed limit is 30 km/h. The boundaries of the area include Clark Drive, 1st Avenue, Commercial Drive and Grandview Highway North.”

The city’s neighbourhood traffic management program outlines priority locations for additional slow zones, including Strathcona and Hastings-Sunrise, says the report.

“The city will engage with the neigbhourhoods to install traffic-calming measures to limit vehicle speeds and volumes, including speed humps, raised crosswalks, medians and speed-limit signs,” reads.

“Depending on how rapidly the city-province pilot on blanket speed limits moves forward, reduced 30 km/h speed limits could be part of the traffic-calming toolbox for these areas.”

Staff, following council’s direction, will work with the provincial government to develop pilot programs to reduce speed limits on local streets and to allow the use of privately owned micromobility devices, such as e-scooters and monowheels, on protected bike lanes and local streets.

“Currently, micromobility devices are illegal on Vancouver streets. The goal of the pilot is to give people more travel options, while helping to ensure streets and sidewalks are safe for everyone.”

The cost of all the changes is estimated at $1,200,000, including $80,000 for the Grandview-Woodland pilot for signage, and $460,000 each for plans in Strathcona and Hastings-Sunrise.

Money will be reallocated from existing program budgets.