School Zones
The City of Woodstock School Zone Policy E012 was approved by City Council on November 16, 2017 and adopted to improve the safety of students to and from school due to the congestion created around schools during pick-up and drop-off times. The policy will make speed and parking restrictions consistent around all elementary and secondary schools. Each school zone will have reduced speed limits before and after school frontage, parking restrictions and no stopping zones, except for school buses where approved. This policy went into effect September 2018.
As per the School Zone Policy E012, a school zone is defined as 150 metres before to 150 metres beyond the school property which is adjacent to a road or where there is a primary public access leading to the school. The following minimum standards to speed limits and parking restrictions are outlined in Policy E012:
- All schools shall be identified with school zone signs along with their frontage and shall have a full time speed limit of 40 km/hour.
- Where reduced speed zones, parking restrictions and stopping prohibited are implemented, they shall be installed in accordance with applicable City and Provincial standards, regulations and/or guidelines.
- Parking and stopping restrictions may be full-time or part-time depending on the classification of the road.
- Where part-time parking and part-time stopping restrictions are used, they shall be in effect from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on school days only.
- Where required, school bus loading zones shall be permitted in the school zone.
The following school links identifies the school zone (40km/hr) and the no stopping areas for each of the schools:
- Algonquin Public School
- Central Public School
- College Avenue Secondary School
- Eastdale Public School
- Ecole Elementaire Catholique Sainte Marguerite - Bourgeoys
- Ecole Secondaire Catholique Notre-Dame
- Holy Family French Immersion Catholic Elementary School
- Huron Park Secondary High School
- Northdale Public School
- Oliver Stephens Public School
- Roch Carrier French Immersion Public School
- Southside Public School
- Springbank Public School
- St. Mary's Catholic High School
- St. Michael's Catholic Elementary School
- St. Patrick's Catholic Elementary School
- Winchester Street Public School
- Woodstock Collegiate Institute
Stopping or Parking Definitions
Under the Highway Traffic Act the stopping and parking regulations are defined as follows:
"stop" or "stopping"
When prohibited, means the halting of a vehicle, even momentarily, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or of a traffic control sign or signal.
"park" or "parking"
When prohibited, means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when standing temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers.
For detailed information on school areas signs, speed limits, parking/stopping prohibitions, pedestrian crossing considerations / traffic control, please follow the school zone policy link provided above. The school zone policy changes are reflected in Traffic Bylaw #8021-04.