A community safety zone is a special designation under the Highway Traffic Act that identifies a stretch of roadway as higher risk or concern for public safety. In Waterloo Region, school zones located on Regional roads are designated as a community safety zone. A community safety zone designation may also apply to areas where there are more pedestrians, such as near childcare centres, parks, retirement homes or sports fields.
In a community safety zone, it's important that drivers follow the posted speed limit and pay close attention. Signs are posted to alert drivers that fines for speeding and other road safety violations are increased. Under the Highway Traffic Act, a speed camera can be placed in a location designated as a school zone or community safety zone, to protect those walking, biking, or rolling.
| Why are community safety zones needed? |
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A community safety zone designation adds additional protection to areas with higher pedestrian and cycle traffic.
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This designation can be applied to roads that do not qualify as a school zone under the Highway Traffic Act, such as a back entrance of a school, that has a pedestrian access but does not have a vehicle entrance.
- In a community safety zone, fines for speeding and other road safety violations are increased to deter those behaviours, and protect those walking, biking or rolling.
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Under the Highway Traffic Act, a speed camera can only be placed in a location designated as a school zone or community safety zone, to protect those walking, biking, or rolling.
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| How are locations for community safety zones identified and assessed? |
| An assessment process is completed in collaboration with the city or township to identify whether a site would be an appropriate community safety zone.
Step 1: A location is assessed to determine if it meets the following eligibility criteria:
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Adjacent to a pedestrian-focused location (elementary and high schools, parks, playgrounds, community centres, hospitals, daycare centres, senior centres, and senior residences)
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Speed limit is 60 km/h or less and there is poor speed compliance
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There are no other traffic calming measures present or planned
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Physically allows for a Municipal Speed Camera (clear sightlines etc.)
Step 2: A points-based assessment is completed to evaluate the risks:
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Average daily traffic volumes (more traffic = higher risk)
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Pedestrian volumes (more pedestrian volumes = higher risk)
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Presence of pedestrian-generating facilities, such as schools, community centres, parks or hospitals (more community facilities = higher risk)
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Presence of heavy trucks along the roadway (higher truck percentage = higher risk)
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Observed traffic speed (higher speeds = higher risk)
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Collision history (higher history of collisions = higher risk)
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Frequency of intersections & accesses (more intersections = higher risk)
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Presence of sidewalks (no sidewalks = higher risk)
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| Why are some areas designated as both a school zone and community safety zone? |
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In Waterloo Region, all school zones located on Regional roads are designated as a community safety zone.
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A school zone designation applies to a stretch of road 150m on either side of the school property line. A community safety zone designation layered on to a school zone extends the boundary to 250m on either side of the school property line.
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The community safety zone designation can be added to roads that do not qualify as a school zone under the Highway Traffic Act, such as a back entrance of a school that has pedestrian access but does not have a vehicle entrance.
- Throughout the region, there are examples of roads that are near a school and have high pedestrian traffic but don’t fit the Highway Traffic Act definition of a school zone. By adding a community safety zone designation to those roads, we can help ensure that all schools in the region are equipped with the same protection to make our roads safer for pedestrians walking, rolling and biking.
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