Death prompts call for school speed limits

The Edmonton Catholic School Board is asking the city to establish lower speed limits around schools after a woman was struck and killed while walking her great-granddaughter to school nearly two weeks ago.

Bernice Jingling, 66, died in hospital April 7 after she was struck by a vehicle near St. Pius X School at 128th Street and 122nd Avenue. Her six-year-old great-granddaughter suffered non-life threatening injuries and was later released from hospital.

The chairwoman of the Catholic board, Debbie Engel, said trustees want marked crosswalks and 30-kilometre speed limits near schools.

"We wrote a letter to the City of Edmonton saying that we would like law enforcement on all school speed zones. We would like signs indicating when the school zone starts and when it finishes and what the speed limit is," Engel said.

Trustees with the public school board will discuss and vote on a similar motion calling for reduced speeds next week.

"I think what we have to do is examine the arguments on whether reduced speed zones or school zones would be effective in creating safer outcomes for our students," board chairman Dave Coburn said, adding the motion was proposed before the April 7 collision.

Coun. Bryan Anderson said the city considered school zones years ago but traffic planners didn't think it would make streets any safer.

With the recent death, Anderson thinks the idea will be considered again.

"I'm getting a number of comments from citizens in our office indicating that they would certainly think positively about the restriction of speeding in the area of schools," he said.