Region adding safety zones in King, Aurora and Richmond Hill

Drive with extra caution to avoid increased fines

Yorkregion.com
August 9, 2018
Sheila Wang

York Region residents will have to drive with extra caution to avoid increased fines when the region adds four new community safety zones to regional roads starting in September.

York regional council designated, on June 28, the following locations as new community safety zones: the road sections at King Christian School in King Township; St. Andrew’s College; The Lighthouse Learning & Development Centre and La Maison Montessori House, in the town of Aurora; and Dr. Bette Stephenson Centre for Learning, in the town of Richmond Hill.

The new zones will become effective once the signs are up on the road, according to York Region transportation services manager Nelson Costa.

York region drivers are expected to see new community safety-zone signs soon as the installation has started. All signs will be complete prior to the start of the school year.

The new community safety zone in King Township is at King Christian School on Bathurst Street, from Graham Sideroad to 500 metres south.

In Aurora, one of the two new zones will be on Yonge Street, from St. John’s Sideroad to 190 metres north of Orchard Heights Boulevard. The other one will be on Bayview Avenue, from 200 metres south of Wellington Street to 150 metres south of Stone Road.

The new community safety zone in Richmond Hill is at Dr. Bette Stephenson Centre for Learning on Yonge Street, from 75 metres south of Regatta Avenue to Blackforest Drive.

Council has also removed two community safety zones from the bylaw, due to a school relocation and a change in road jurisdiction.

The Yonge Street section at École Élémentaire Académie de la Moraine in Richmond Hill will not be a community safety zone because the school has moved to another location.

The Woodbine Avenue section at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School in the city of Markham is also off the list, because the road section no longer falls within the region’s jurisdiction.

A community safety zone is a designated section of roadway where public safety is of special concern, intended to increase travellers' safety by modifying drivers' behaviours.

Traffic laws remain the same, but set fines increase through a special designation under the Highway Traffic Act.

Many set fines would double in community safety zones, for violations such as speeding and traffic signal-related offences, according to York Region’s transportation services.

There are currently 60 community safety zones on regional roads, according to transportation services.