The Enhanced School Zones Program is a pilot project at four Cambridge schools that introduces additional interventions on school frontages or school zone areas where pick-up and drop-off activity occurs. It aims to create a better environment for active transportation and improve driver behavior in these areas.

The interventions include:

• Enhanced School Zone/Area Signs with flashing beacon, MAXIMUM 40km/h speed limit, and “drive slowly” tabs (on all four school zone/areas) – provides advance warning and informs motorists that they are approaching a school zone.
• “SCHOOL” Stencil Pavement Marking (on Saginaw Parkway and Cowan Boulevard) – provides warning and informs motorists that they are in a school zone.
• Flexible bollards in the median (on Gail Street) – provides warning and informs motorists that they are in a school zone while reducing lane widths with the intent of slowing speeds and altering driver behavior. Additionally, brings awareness to school related activity.
• Pavement markings (on Gail Street) – provides positive guidance to motorists within the school zone and creates a painted pedestrian refuge island at crossing points.
• Permanent “Radar Message Board” signs (on Saginaw Parkway) – an educational tool intended to promote safe and responsible driving. Makes drivers aware of their speed and informs their behaviour.
• Updated parking signage (all schools reviewed) – to improve sightlines at intersections and within the school zone bringing more awareness to school related activity.

The Schools!

• Avenue Road Public School
• Central Public School
• Clemens Mill Public School
• Elgin Public School
• Hillcrest Public School
• Saginaw Public School
• St. Augustine Catholic Elementary School
• St. Elizabeth Catholic Elementary School
• St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Elementary School
• St. Michael Catholic Elementary School
• St. Peter Catholic Elementary School

The Providers

STSWR has initiated this project, which is only made possible through financial support from Green Communities Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of Cambridge. The Government of Ontario is providing $1.5 million through March 2022 to GCC to support active school travel (AST) initiatives across the province. This follows a previous investment of $3.5 million. AST rates have declined sharply in Ontario communities in recent decades. GCC and its many partners are working to reverse that decline and make active transportation the “new normal.”