Fort Saskatchewan has so far responded well to the new speed limits.
While drivers got used to the new changes during the 30-day grace period (May 16 - Jun. 16), officials with the city say about a dozen warnings were given to drivers. This is lower than expected, according to the director of protective services, Coreen Rayner, who noted good compliance within the community regarding the new limits.
“It seems like locals are adjusting pretty well to it. I think that residents are very much in favour of the residential speed zones being reduced to 40 kilometres an hour,” she said.
Efforts so far have largely been focused on educating local motorists about the changes, but that is now over and the city will return to full enforcement of the limits.
The speed limit changes are in response to the city’s commitment to Vision Zero, which council adopted as its traffic safety plan in 2018.
Vision Zero’s long-term goal is zero fatalities and major industry collisions on roadways. Other cities in Alberta, including Edmonton, St. Albert, and Calgary, have already adopted Vision Zero as its traffic safety plan.
More details on what’s changed with the new speed limits can be found here.