PHONE 939-9201

SCHOOL DISTRICT No. 43 (COQUITLAM)

550 ‘POIRIER STREET,
COQUITLAM, B.C. YV3d 6A7.

October 26, 1976

Mr. Ve. Ge Borch, P. Eng.
City Engineer

City of Port Coquitlam Engincoring
2272 McAllister Avenue Departs
Port Coquitlam, B. C. OCT 28 1974
v3c 2A8

Dear Mr. Borch:

RE: 20 mepshe school zones

Thank you for your letter of October 12th, 1976 advising of the action of
the Port Coquitlam City Council regarding the signing of Fraser Avenue
in front of Birchland School. It is also noted that you requested my
comments concerning 20 m.p.he zones.

It is my opinion that the effectiveness of a 20 mepeh. zone is directly
related to enforcement. As a result a child and a parent can be billed
into a false sense of security by assuming that all vehicular traffic

will travel at 20 mpe.h. in zones so posted. Consequently, in crossing

an intersection governed by a 20 mp-h. zone the child assumes all cars
are travelling at the slower speed and presumably judges the crossing

time on that speed. Since children cross other intersections it seems
reasonable that all speeds within the city be consistent. Hence, when
crossing at an intersection the child does not have to remember whether
the. speed is 20 mep.he. or 30 mep.h.e in judging the time necessary to

cross the intersection. I, would therefore support the move to drop the 20
Mepehe zone on an experimental basis. Schools located immediately
adjacent to an arterial road such as Viscount Alexander have adequate
fencing to assure that children do not dart out onto the road in pursuit
of a ball. Other schools in Port Coquitlam are more remote from an
arterial road. Children attending Birchland have been instructed not

to play in front of the school hence their activities are separated from
Fraser Avenue by the school building. This action was there once. Fraser
Avenue, which was a dead end, was extended into the G.V.R.D. housing

development.

I hope this information and opinion will be of assistance to the Council
in their deliberations on Monday, November 1, 1976. «

Yours truly,

ail
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A. K. Mutter
Assistant Superintendent of Schools

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