Traffic safety around school zones is one of many top priorities for Richmond residents and parents with school now back in session.
Among the increased number of cars on the road, there has been an increase in construction posing safety concerns around schools as well.
Richmond parent Myriah Hayward, who lives in east Richmond's Hamilton neighbourhood, said speeding has made her area unsafe not only for pedestrians but students walking to and from school.
Construction and development of the new Hamilton apartments have also increased dump truck and vehicle traffic across the street from Hamilton elementary.
Hayward said the area has been a hub of speeders around the bend near Westminster Highway and Smith Crescent, which has required her to stay on the phone with her daughter while she walks to and from school.
"Speeding is the biggest issue we have in the neighbourhood and it's something Hamilton residents have long been fighting (against)," she said.
"We used to have a crosswalk and a designated stoplight that not many people followed, but it is now an amber flashing light that is worse."
Hayward told the Richmond News her son was also a victim of a speeding driver earlier this year, which resulted in multiple fractures to his upper body and face at the aforementioned crosswalk.
"He did everything correctly from approaching the crosswalk with caution, pushing the button and waiting for a truck to stop before crossing," she said.
"It was another car travelling in the other direction that didn't see him halfway across the crosswalk nor the flashing amber lights. She knocked him from the crosswalk all the way to the other side of the road."
A better crosswalk system, more crossing guards and minimizing commercial trucks travelling through the Hamilton neighbourhood are a few suggestions Hayward has to improve safety.
Marie Ratcliffe, also a Richmond parent, is concerned about drivers using residential complexes as turning and drop-off points during school hours.
Ratcliffe, who lives near McMath secondary, said many drivers used her complex to make "an amazing manoeuvre" to turn their vehicles around after dropping off their kids.
"What I'm always worried about is when I see people backing up and then there's these kids on bikes and scooters and someone's going to get hit. It's mayhem," said Ratcliffe.
"Actually, it's quite scary. Residents in the complex have to work around the school schedule in order to get out of the complex without getting stuck."
Kids used to walk, cycle more: Richmond parent
Kids appeared to be more active in getting themselves to school 30 years ago compared to now, particularly high school students who walked, biked or skateboarded, Ratcliffe said.
"I actually don't think barriers or enforcement would really make a difference.... Until attitudes about active transportation to school changes, I don't think we're going to get anywhere," she added.
"It would be lovely to see more kids walking or biking to and from school. There was independence there."
Meanwhile, Richmond resident Trela Watt, who lives in the Williams Bridge elementary neighbourhood, said she has watched the traffic become "unbearably frustrating" and frightening for kids in the past few years.
Watt, who has lived in the area for almost 20 years, said her family originally moved in for the convenience of being near the school. However, she said it is now "100-per-cent terrible" if she has to leave the house.
To not be stuck in school traffic in the neighbourhood, she leaves before 8 a.m. and returns home before 2 p.m. or else she would have to "park three blocks away."
She told the News her recycling and garbage bins have consistently been moved by parents picking up or dropping off their kids.
"It got to the point where sometimes my recycling doesn't even get picked up because the recycling truck doesn't see it behind a car," said Watt.
"It needs to be safe for the kids. Cars are trying to U-turn, back up and swerve around other cars on the small neighbourhood streets, and all it takes is one kid to run out and get hit."
Watt also believes a decrease in kids walking to school and more parents driving one to two blocks to drop off students are factors for the increased traffic.
Many agencies involved in traffic control
Both the City of Richmond and Richmond School District explained to the News that traffic safety around school zones is a multi-agency collaboration between the city, school district, RCMP, ICBC and parent groups.
David Sadler, spokesperson for the Richmond School District, said they have not observed an increase in traffic around schools in the past year.
"On district property, the Richmond School District has made improvements to drop-off areas and parking at several schools to enhance safety and improve traffic flow," said Sadler.
"These updates are aimed at reducing congestion during peak times, ensuring clear access for emergency vehicles, and improving overall safety for students, parents and pedestrians. By redesigning drop-off zones and adding designated parking areas, the district has created safer, more efficient systems for student drop-offs and pickups."
This includes principals and vice-principals often outdoors guiding traffic during peak times.
Despite traffic management beyond school property being the city's responsibility, Sadler added, the school district shares information regarding traffic and safety around school zones with the city.
"This collaboration ensures that the district plays a proactive role in supporting efforts to improve safety for students and community members," said Sadler.
Meanwhile, city spokesperson Clay Adams told the News they have seen an increase in overall traffic around schools, which has required an increase in demand for bylaw staff to be at schools during pickup and drop-off times.
"The city works closely with teachers, principals and PACs to help educate everyone on safe behaviours," said Adams.
"In some cases, this is creating and encouraging safe walk-to-school environments and issuing newsletters to parents."
He added that while they do not "formally track complaints" they do hear regularly hear about unsafe driving behaviour, parking and other issues in and around school zones.
In response, city bylaw staff patrol schools throughout the city during from September through June.
"Last year, we carried out more than 310 such patrols, issuing over 1,150 tickets," said Adams.
The city saw the most violations during the 2023/2024 school year at Ferris elementary and Richmond secondary schools with 135 and 1,213 tickets handed out, respectively, according to Adams.
While Steveston-London and Hamilton are generally not high-violation school zones, said Adams, the city has increased patrols to "maintain a presence," he added.
There is always an increase in traffic on the roads around school zones as road users get adjusted to the school schedule, according to Staff Sgt. Gurbir Mondair, spokesperson for the Richmond RCMP.
RCMP officers and volunteers run a speed watch program in school zones as well as ongoing public education on drivers having to slow down in areas where kids and youth are present.
"It's a multi-pronged approach not just at the beginning of the school year, but also throughout the year and in areas such as near playgrounds," said Mondair.
He added the Richmond RCMP has not seen an uptake in request for enforcement for traffic safety around schools.
Rather, the RCMPs traffic unit continues to conduct enforcement on specific areas as part of an ongoing initiative to tackle speeding and distracted driving alike, explained Mondair.
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