SD73 announces traffic safety improvements for Westmount Elementary School

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The meeting follows the completion of an independent traffic safety study commissioned by the school district last month. It was initiated after a close call involving a student and a vehicle in January.

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The safety options to be implemented by September 2018 include:

• Installing a traffic signal at the intersection of Westsyde Road and Walkem Road to better serve traffic exiting Walkem Road.
• Improving a vehicle drop-off lane at the school to accommodate several vehicles at a time.
• Improving safety at the bus stop on Westsyde Road near the school, by increasing the size of the waiting pad and installing roadside barriers to better separate the bus stop from Westsyde Road.
• Implementation of an enhanced supervision program at the school that will see more SD73 staff outside during busy periods to monitor key crossing areas and ensure the safety of students.
• Expanding city transit service to newly developed areas within the school catchment area in the Batchelor Heights neighbourhood.

The City of Kamloops and School District 73 will work together to implement the changes. The school district will be responsible for the improved drop-off lane and increased supervision. The cost has been estimated at $45,000. The City of Kamloops will install the traffic light and improve the Westsyde Road bus stop at an approximate cost of $125,000.

Safety issues have been a longtime concern at Westmount Elementary due to traffic congestion on a short cul-de-sac adjacent to a very busy commuter road, and because of the school’s increasing student population.

Westmount Elementary parent Leanna Wereley, who has been a very vocal voice for change, was pleased with the announced adjustments.

“It’s very positive. I’m really, really thankful to the city that they stepped up for us and got us a traffic light. That’s a huge win for the school and the residents there,” she said. “That’s really going to help with the traffic flow and, as people have pointed out, instead of one or two cars trying to get out and turn left onto Westsyde Road, now there’s going to be 10, 12 cars being able to exit at a time. That’s a huge thing they’ve taken off our shoulders.”

Wereley says the increased supervision will also provide extra reassurance for parents that someone is watching out for their kids.

Even so, she admits parents didn’t get everything they wanted.

“Well, no. Of course we are looking for school buses. We are looking for a new school in Batch (Batchelor Heights). We know there’s 178 kids from Batch that are coming to that school. That’s a school population. But I realize we’re not the only school. I realize in Kamloops all of our schools are very old and all of our schools are overwhelmed with school population. It’s a need that needs to be addressed in our district.”