SUBSCRIBE: Missing news on social media? Subscribe to CHAT News Today's DAILY newsletter and stay up to date with your city.

New playground zone signage being tested in Medicine Hat

Aug 17, 2017 | 3:59 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB — New signage is appearing in school and playground zones across the City of Medicine Hat.

It’s part of a trial the city is doing to find new ways to encourage drivers to slow down in those areas.

In front of Notre Dame Academy and École les Cyprès, the city has installed playground zone signs in the middle of the road.

“They’re designed to be in the road way,” said Randi Buchner with the city. “If they were to be hit, they’re recovery impact, so they would pop back up.”

Principal Neal Siedlecki said the area around Notre Dame needs the extra signage.

“With the growing population of our building, as well as our neighbouring school Dr. Roy Wilson, we have about 1,200 students who are accessing our cross walks and this area,” said Siedlecki.

The city is also testing out playground symbols painted on the road way and electronic speed signs in some new areas. The new signage is going up in 16 locations throughout Medicine Hat this month.

“We’ve tried to spread them out between some of our more high volume roadways and some of our low volume roadways,” said Buchner.

The trial will get underway in September and run through April of 2018. The city will be monitoring speeds in those areas to see how well the different signs work in the different areas.

If the trial is successful, the city said it will look at putting more of the signs in other school and playground zones across Medicine Hat the future.