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Development of School Area Traffic Safety Guidelines for Manitoba

Author(s): Jennifer Chapman

Slidedeck Presentation Only (no paper submitted):

7A Chapman_Development of School Area Traffic Safety Guidelines for Manitoba

Abstract:

The Development of School Area Traffic Safety Guidelines for Manitoba is a project that was initiated in a joint effort by Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation and Manitoba Education in June 2011.  The document was completed in November 2013 and is in the process of being released to the public.

The objective of the project is to develop a procedural manual and safety assessment toolkit that will provide guidelines to traffic authorities and school divisions for the purpose of addressing traffic safety concerns associated with school areas.  The guideline encompasses rural, suburban, and urban area schools.  The guideline can be applied to both remediate issues at existing schools, and to eliminate the potential for issues when planning new schools.

Issues examined in the guideline include:

  • Active transportation recommendations both  on the school site and surrounding area;
  • Vehicular safety recommendations both on the school site and surrounding area;
  • Procedural changes that can be made by the school to improve traffic safety;
  • Education options that can be implemented for students, parents and neighbourhood residents.

The project used a consultative approach in which a steering committee held approximate monthly meetings.  The committee included representatives from Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation, Manitoba Education, Manitoba School Board Association, Manitoba Public Schools Finance Board, the City of Winnipeg, the RCMP, and Manitoba Public Insurance, as well as a number of other stakeholders.  At these meetings the committee discussed issues and made recommendations pertinent to the project.

The study included a literature review of existing school area safety guidelines and documentation, site visits to schools to observe typical conditions, pilot applications of the guidelines at a suburban and rural school, and several stakeholder consultation workshops.

Ultimately, it is hoped that this guideline will be able to provide school staff, school divisions, and traffic authorities with a tool to assist them in identifying potential improvement options for the purpose of enhancing traffic safety and providing consistency across Manitoba school areas.