School Streets Test Program
School Streets create a safer condition for children walking and cycling to/from school through temporary road closures. Markham is implementing the first pilot test in the York Region.
- What are School Streets?
School Streets are temporary road closures of streets in front of schools during peak school drop-off and pick-up times to create car-free zones that facilities a safer environment for active school travel. By restricting traffic during these peak times, School Streets also offer other benefits:
- Improve air quality
- Promote physical activity and healthier lifestyles
- Foster community connection
- Facilitate active and independent mobility
- Reduce congestion and car access around schools
School Streets originated in the United Kingdom and have spread to cities around the world, including in Canada, and are supported by the Ontario government through the Ministry of Education. To date, School Streets tests have been conducted in Toronto, Ottawa and Kingston. This Markham School test would be the first in York Region.
To see what School Streets look like, watch this short two-minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud8lUaXP6Zk
First School Street in Toronto at Keele Street Public School in 2019
- What is Markham's School Street Test Program?
Markham's first School Street Test Program will take place at John McCrae Public School (565 Fred McLaren Boulevard).
Stricker Avenue between Hammersly Boulevard and Fred McLaren Boulevard will be temorarily closed with limited access during the School Street operations.
Sticker Avenue will be closed to regular car traffic on four (4) consecutive Wednesdays on:
Date: May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25, 2022
Time: 8:15am to 9:15am, and 3:00pm and 4:00pm
Road closure traffic signs, traffic barricades and traffic cones will be used. Volunteers will also be stationed at the southern barriers (at Fred McLaren Boulevard) to manage the limited vehicles access during School Street operations.
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why test a School Street?
The School Street test is an extension of the current Active School Travel Pilot Program in which John McCrae PS is already a participating school. The School Street pilot provides an opportunity to try out a new, additional way of addressing continuing traffic operations, congestion and parking concerns around schools. It is also an opportunity to better understand the impacts of this measure on promoting walking or cycling to/from school in a suburban environment.
I live within the road closure area. Will I be able to drive in and out of my driveway?
When the School Street is in operation, local residents living directly on Stricker Avenue, as well as service and emergency vehicles, buses, and school staff, will be able to go through the designated road closure barrier. Volunteers at the Fred McLaren Blvd entrance barriers will allow these vehicles to leave and enter but drivers will be asked to drive at a walking speed in the School Street zone.
When is the School Streets taking place?
Stricker Avenue between Hammersly Boulevard and Fred McLaren Boulevard will be temporarily closed with limited access during the School Street test.
Stricker Avenue will be closed to regular car traffic on four (4) consecutive Wednesdays on:
Date: May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25, 2022
Time: 8:15am to 9:15am, and 3:00pm to 4:00pm.
How do I drop-off and/or pick-up my kids?
The purpose of a School Street is to create a safer, healthier and more active environment for children travelling to/from school. As much as possible, we encourage all students, parents and caregivers to come to school by walking or cycling.
For those who must travel by car to school, they can park slightly further away and walk the last few metres to school. Remember to follow all rules of the road including posted signage.
Will the School Street divert traffic to other streets?
Since this is the first pilot in Markham, it is difficult to predict how traffic will be affected. Traffic data will be collected during this pilot to provide information for future planning.
Parking may be dispersed outside of the School Street zone. City staff will work with the local school to identify appropriate locations where parents can park.
Again, the goal is for more students to shift to an active mode of travel to/from school, so that the number of vehicles to school would decrease over time.
How do you make sure the street closure is safe?
Road closure traffic signs, traffic barricades and traffic cones will be used to close off the street. As well, volunteers will be stationed at the southern barriers (at Fred McLaren Boulevard) to manage the limited vehicles access during the School Street operation.
City and school staff will monitor safety concerns throughout the duration of the test program.
How are the local residents and school parents informed?
Local residents will receive a letter to inform them of this pilot project by early April. See letter here.
All school parents and caregivers will also receive at least two letters from the school about the pilot program before May 2022.
Large road-side mobile signs and social media broadcasts will also be implemented to inform and communicate to the local community.
How do I provide feedback?
We are collecting feedback from students, staff, caregivers/guardians and city residents about their thoughts on the School Street Test program through a short electronic survey before the pilot. A post survey will be conducted at the end of the program. Community feedback is important and will help inform on-going and future active school travel programming in the City of Markham and York Region.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact activeschooltravel@yrdsb.ca
- Online Survey
Thank you for taking part in this survey. Community voice is important to us. The purpose of this survey is to collect feedback from students, staff, guardians and city residents about their thoughts on the School Streets Test program. This feedback will inform active school travel programming and related road safety measures in the City of Markham and York Region.
Survey questions are related to how the road closure would affect you, what mode students typically use to travel to school and the reason behind it. The survey is anonymous and confidential so no one will know your individual responses to the questions. The survey is voluntary and you may skip questions that you do not want to answer. The information you share will only be accessible by staff contracted to do this project including The Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) and York Region District School Board (YRDSB) Planning Department.
This survey will take about five minutes to complete. You will also be invited to complete a second survey at the end of the test program. We encourage you to complete both. Survey results will be shared with representatives from YRDSB and the City of Markham. A future report will be shared with the public through the City of Markham.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact activeschooltravel@yrdsb.ca.
If you do not wish to complete this survey, you can close this website address.
- Other Resources
School Streets Guidebook (CRD, City of Victoria, 8 80 Cities)
Mountview Summary Report (880 Cities)