Kamloops

Kamloops councillor in favour of around-the-clock 30 km/h zone

24/7, 30 km/h speed zones?

Tereza Verenca - Jul 9, 2020 / 4:00 am | Story: 304809

Photo: Contributed

The City of Vancouver voted this week to implement a speed limit of 30 km/h in school and playground zones, 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

It's a decision — meant to improve safety on streets — Kamloops city councillor Mike O'Reilly is in favour of.

"I do hope that we can get to the point one day where school zones are in effect 24/7," O'Reilly tells Castanet.

He gives the example of the now-closed Stuart Wood Elementary at St. Paul and Third Avenue.

"Being a playground, but it’s still a school, but it’s not a school. It’s difficult for people to differentiate that, so if it just makes it easier, the same date and times and speed limits for all parks across the city, it makes it a lot easier for people to recognize that," he explains.

O'Reilly believes such a change in Kamloops would be "small" and "an easy transition."

"If you look at where playground zones are, they are in effect seven days a week from dawn to dusk," he says.

The councillor notes the city's speed zones are mandated by the province under the Motor Vehicle Act. Vancouver was able to change its speed limit because it operates under its community charter, he says.

O'Reilly tells Castanet city staff are currently studying what can be done locally to get to zero fatalities on the road. The report, titled "Vision Zero," should come to council by year's end.

"When the study comes back, I’m looking for the highest impact of things we can do that will make people safer on the road and safer for motor vehicles as well. It’s tough when there’s all these modes of transportation that were never even thought of five or six years ago," O'Reilly says, pointing to e-bikes and scooters. "Now, they’re becoming more frequent. The roadways are being used in a very different way than they were five years ago."