Safer streets around Dunedin schools
Work is being completed on making roads, footpaths, intersections and crossings safer for children around 25 Dunedin schools.
This work is being undertaken to reduce the risk of death or serious injuries for vulnerable road users walking, cycling and scooting to school. The Dunedin City Council wants parents to feel confident about allowing their children to travel to school by means other than by car.
Safety measures include raised and painted crossings, kerb buildouts which narrow intersections, speed humps and variable electronic speed signs. These safety improvements will support the recently approved 30km/h speed limit change for school zones as outlined in the Interim Speed Management Plan 2023/24.
You can learn about the safety measures already installed, or upcoming, in the links at the top of this page.
What is the problem?
Too many people are dying or being seriously injured on Dunedin’s roads and nearly half of those deaths and injuries involve vulnerable roads users – children, the elderly, pedestrians and people on bikes or motorcycles.
One of the most effective ways of minimising road trauma involves reducing vehicle speeds by lowering speed limits, improving intersections and crossing points. Speed determines both the likelihood of a crash occurring and the severity of the outcome and vulnerable road users are particularly at risk.
Lower speeds and better infrastructure such as crossing points with shorter crossing distances and better visibility increase safety.
We want to make the streets safer for everyone; students, teachers, families and residents. We want to make people feel safe enough to allow their children to walk and scoot to and from school. More children walking and cycling means less chaos at the school gates and increased road safety for everyone.
We’re installing road improvements near some Dunedin schools to slow vehicles and improve safety for students, teachers, families and residents.