St. Augustine School calls for traffic safety improvements

PONOKA -- Staff and parents of St. Augustine School are seeking traffic safety improvements along 45th Avenue.

In a letter penned to the Town of Ponoka, school officials note the measures are required due to a recent influx in traffic flow in the area immediately in front of St. Augustine. They say this has been the result of road closures in the area, which has added a significant amount of traffic and safety concerns for students and staff.

"Recent road closures near the school have altered traffic flow and resulted in increased congestion during student drop-off and pick-up times," said St. Augustine Principal Brad Normandeau. "These delays have, at times, contributed to driver frustration and an increased tendency for some motorists to rush through the area. This behaviour has heightened safety concerns for students, families, and staff."

He says while the school has taken various measures to improve safety -- such as the implementation of a school patrol crossing guard program and the use of pylons to redirect traffic flow within their parking lots -- it will be necessary for the Town of Ponoka to step in to introduce new traffic calming measures in the area. In his letter, he outlines four main recommendations. 

• Installation of an additional clearly marked painted crosswalk in front of the school. The proposed crosswalk would cross 45 Avenue Crescent from the sidewalk between the school’s two parking areas to the baseball diamonds.
• Installation of speed bumps or other traffic-calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds.
• Installation of flashing lights at crosswalk locations to improve driver awareness during school hours.
• Placement of a speed limit sign equipped with a radar display to indicate vehicle speeds.

Haley Brochu, who serves as St. Augustine School Council President, also echoed Normandeau's concerns in a separate letter addressed to Ponoka Council. She also points to recent changes at the 54 Street and Highway 53 intersection as recent for the influx of traffic along 45 Avenue, saying drivers looking to access the highway have created an increase in traffic flow directly in front of the school.

She's seeking a second crosswalk -- complete with flashing crosswalk lights -- as well as a number of speed bumps that cause drivers to slow down along the stretch of 45 Avenue that runs parallel to the school.