With a growing student population and general traffic pressures increasing in North Vancouver, there have been growing concerns from parents and neighbourhood residents around traffic, parking, and pedestrian safety. There have been several studies of traffic in the Ridgeway area. A Safe Routes to School guide was developed (below), as well as some improvements to sidewalks and crosswalks. In 2019/2020, the City of North Vancouver consulted with Ridgeway parents, students, and neighbours on a School Zone Safety Review and has developed a new action plan.

In August – September 2019, Ridgeway PAC independently undertook a survey to better understand parent concerns related to driving patterns, drop-off and pick-up behaviour, and safety concerns. The results indicated various unchangeable reasons parents drive (such as work, secondary drop-off, or after-school activities) and behaviour around drop-off that includes parents also exiting the car.

School Zone Safety Review – New Ridgeway Action Plan

In part due to the advocacy of Ridgeway PAC and local residents, the City of North Vancouver undertook a School Zone Safety Review that included an online survey, in-person open house, and traffic monitoring throughout the neighbourhood. The result of this review is a new Action Plan for Ridgeway including:

  • Phase 1 (2020 / early 2021) – More visible pedestrian crossings, diagonal diverters, expanding slow zones, street murals to draw attention to no stopping zones, curb bulges and pedestrian priority areas
  • Phase 2 (2021 / 2022) – New speed bumps, raised crosswalks, enhanced pedestrian crossings on Keith Rd

Ridgeway Traffic Safety Guide

Parent behaviour around the school is the biggest contributor to safety concerns. As part of our effort to improve safety, we created a traffic guide to explain various road signs and common unsafe behaviours:

It is the City recommendation that drivers use 9th to drive EAST and 8th to drive WEST to create a circuit that moves more smoothly. Combined with safer behaviour, we can all ensure our kids get to school safely!

Additional safety resources: