The public may soon have a chance to weigh in on whether speed limits in school zones should be lowered.
The Civic Works Committee recommended Monday that a public participation meeting be held on the issue in May or June.
A report by city staff calls for the speed limit in school zones to be reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h. The speed reduction would apply for an area that expands 150 metres in either direction from school properties, 24 hours a day.
Councillor Virginia Ridley, who championed the idea last year, says a public meeting is a positive step that allows more residents to have their voices heard.
"What I've already been hearing from my community is widespread support. Right from children in schools when I pick up my own children," says Ridley. "I have kids coming up to me saying 'thank you, I get really worried walking to and from school.'"
Staff maintain that a lower speed limit would improve safety for students walking or cycling to and from school. A graph included in the report shows the risk of a fatality for a pedestrian at 50km/h is 70%. At 40km/h the risk of death falls to 28%.
It would cost the city $100,000 for 480 school zone signs. Adding solar powered flashing beacons to the signs would add another $5,000 per location, increasing the total cost of the program to $1,300,000.
Ridley recognizes the beacons would drastically increase the overall expense on the city.
"It's potentially something we could phase in, in problem areas," says Ridley. "I think starting out with just the normal signs is best. It's the minimal expense and I understand it can already be accommodated in the existing budget."
The Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board have a combined 103 elementary schools and 22 high schools.
The Thames Valley board has already indicated it would support dropping the speed limit down to 30km/h.
"Anyone who has children going to school or lives near a school recognizes it can be a very unsafe situation," says Ridley. "A high speed limit causes the reverse effect of what we want. It causes more people to feel safer driving their kids to school which is just compounding the issue."
A final decision on whether to hold a public meeting on the issue now goes to city council.
