Mayoral candidate Motkaluk promises better school-zone speed warnings

A week before kids go back to school in Manitoba, mayoral candidate Jenny Motkalukpledged to better warn motorists approaching school zones.

The business-development consultant, who has been the most active of Winnipeg's nine registered mayoral candidates throughout a summer when few have made any policy announcements, announced a package of traffic-safety measures on Tuesday.

Addressing reporters in a meeting room at the Canad Inns hotel in Polo Park, Motkaluk said if she's elected mayor this October, Winnipeg will install signsoutside school zones to make motorists more aware they are approaching schools, and end the practice of enforcing school speedzones during holiday weekdays.

• Police chief muses about end to enforcement of school speed zones on weekday holidays

Motkalukcalled the latter practice a cash grab and said signagewould do more to ensure motorists do not strike children.

She pointed to comments made by Winnipeg police chief Danny Smyth, who said in June he is open to ending the practice of enforcing school speed zones on holiday weekdays.

From September to June, the speed limit near most Winnipeg schools is 30 km/h on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

There are no fewer than four holidays that fall on weekdays during the school year: Louis Riel Day in February, Good Friday in March or April, Victoria Day in May andThanksgiving Monday in October. New Year's Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day may also fall onweekdays.

Some traffic-safety advocates, including South Winnipeg-St. Norbert Coun. Janice Lukes, have argued the city should enforce school speed zones all year because kids use schoolyard playgrounds in the summer as well as after school hours.

Motkaluk said she does not share that opinion.

She pegged the cost of erecting more warning signs at school zones at $5 million to $6 million.

She also promised to install flashing warning signs before high-speed intersections to reduce the potential for crashes. Other cities use similar signs, she said.