Multimodal Design & Traffic Flow Considerations for Elementary School Zones

With increasing numbers of children driven to school, major congestion in and around school zones during peak hours contributes to increased exposure to traffic and an increased risk to vulnerable pedestrians. This 2-year project, in partnership with the Safe Mobility Section at the City of Edmonton, aims to tackle the engineering problems around the design of school zone traffic flows that incorporate the convergence of multimodal transportation, particularly considering safety and equity. Team members seek to address school zone safety, with a particular focus on elementary school zones, by examining roadway design and safety issues that arise from traffic flow problems in alignment with the City’s priorities of safety, accessibility, and equity. 

Our research aims to provide the informational basis for designing school zone traffic flow infrastructure while simultaneously improving functionality for equitable access, safer spaces, and sustainable multimodal transportation. The objective is to create evidence-based recommendations to enhance vulnerable road user safety and improve traffic flow around school zones, providing valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and transportation authorities.