Back to school means back to traffic for St. John's drivers
With a new school year starting this week, parents, students and school staff will all be adjusting to more vehicles and pedestrians than usual.
Check out the video player above to see how some mothers and fathers are dealing with the back to school rush in St. John's.
New school zone policies come into effect St. John's
In addition to adjusting to more cars and people on the road, there will also be some changes for drivers with regards to school zone rules in the capital city.
A school zone study completed by city hall back in January has led to new speed limits near 16 elementary schools in residential neighbourhoods in St. John's.
The city has reduced the speed limit to 30 kilometres per hour for the 16 schools on school days only between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The school zones affected by the new speed limit are follows:
- Pennywell Road - vicinity of Bishop Abraham
- Bond Street - Bishop Field
- Canada Drive - Cowan Heights
- Doyles Road - Goulds Elementary
- Hazelwood Crescent - Hazelwood Elementary
- Larkhall Street - Larkhall Academy
- Toronto Street - Macdonald Drive Elementary
- Elizabeth Avenue - Rennie's River School
- Airport Heights Drive - Roncalli School
- University Avenue - St. Andrew's School
- Linegar Avenue - St. John Bosco
- Cowan Avenue - St. Matthews
- Mundy Pond Road - St. Teresa's
- Ennis Avenue - Vanier Elementary
- Middleton Street - Virginia Park Elementary
- Waterford Bridge Road - St. Mary's
The City of St. John's is not reducing speeds for high schools or for elementary Schools located on high volume roads such as Macdonald Drive Elementary, Mary Queen of Peace on Torbay Road and Hazelwood Elementary on Topsail Road.
Speeds are up on Mundy Pond Rd in the 30k school zone at St Teresa's. Average speed is about 50 kph. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nltraffic?src=hash">#nltraffic</a>. <a href="http://t.co/ldH3omjovB">pic.twitter.com/ldH3omjovB</a>
—@cecilhaireElectronic feedback signs installed in 7 school zone areas
In addition to the new speed limits, St. John's has also installed new electronic feedback signs near schools that are on busy roads in the city.
The idea is that rather than expect people to slow down to 30 on such a main, busy artery, it is better to just make them conscious of their speed so they'll reduce it.
The electronic feedback signs have been installed in the following seven school zones:
- Doyles Road - Goulds Elementary
- Mundy Pond Road - St. Teresa's
- Waterford Bridge Road - St. Mary's
- Elizabeth Avenue - Rennies River School
- Torbay Road - Mary Queen of Peace
- Macdonald Drive - Macdonald Drive Elementary
- Topsail Road - Hazelwood Elementary
With files from Zach Goudie and Cecil Haire