In 2014, the City of St. Albert launched the Safe Journeys to School Initiative. This consisted of the formtion of a Joint Public Steering Committee to oversee the review of traffic safety at all of its 26 existing and two planned schools. The Steering Committee included representation from the City, the four School Boards, the RCMP, and members of the general public.
TranSafe Consulting was retained to conduct engagement of parents, students and the general public through a series of open houses, survey questionnaires, focus groups and on-line engagement tools. Engineering reviews were conducted at each school, covering the site, the street frontage and the surrounding neighbourhood, and observations were conducted at each school during the peak pick-up and drop-off periods. Collisions involving pedestrians, cyclists and school buses were analysed. Research of best practices in Alberta and elsewhere was also conducted.
The extensive research, observation and analysis led to the identification of opportunities for enhancement to City policies, programs, standards and practices, as well as specific engineering interventions at each school. Key opportunities included the accommodation of active travel modes, crosswalk safety, speed management, improved efficiency in pick-up / drop-off operations, effective management of winter conditions, and the implementation of student education empahsizing respectful behaviours.
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