Safer City Program

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Safer City is a partnership between the District of Maple Ridge, Ridge Meadows RCMP, School District 42, Maple Ridge residents, and ICBC. Safer City is focused on the three "E's": Engineering, Enforcement, and Education and is aimed at achieving safer roads for all road users including motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and other non-conventional road users. The program incorporates road safety into all city initiatives and aims to make road safety a priority in Maple Ridge.

Residents are encouraged to play an active role by participating in community programs such as:

• Safer School Travel
• Speed Watch Neighbourhood Traffic Safety Campaign
• Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Program
• Community Involvement 

Community Involvement

One of the cornerstones of the District of Maple Ridge's corporate values is the encouragement of community involvement, which recognizes our citizen's respect for the people and communities in which municipal staff serve. In support of the Safer City Program, citizens are encouraged to discuss any safety concerns with the Engineering Department's Safer City Team. This participation by our citizens is most important to the success of the program, as is the identification and evaluation of potential solutions.

We encourage you to contact our Safer City Coordinator to discuss any safety concerns you may have. Together we can make road safety a priority for Maple Ridge.

Intersection Safety Campaign

• When making a left turn, be extra cautious and yield the right of way to oncoming traffic
• Leave enough space between your car and the one in front of you
• Leave early and allow for extra travel time in case of delays
• Remember: yellow lights mean you should stop if you can do so safely
• Watch for pedestrians at intersections
• Slow down and drive smart

More than one million drivers have been involved in an intersection crash over the past five years. For more information on intersection safety, visit icbc.com.

Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Program

Neighbourhood traffic issues such as high traffic volumes, short-cutting, and speeding are a growing concern for many residents. Maple Ridge is committed to providing effective and successful traffic management plans for it's neighbourhood and has chosen a comprehensive strategy to addressing neighbourhood traffic management through a Neighbourhood Traffic Management Practice which was adopted by Council in 2005.

The Neighbourhood Traffic Management Practice uses educational, physical and regulatory measures to address speeding issues. The program focus is to improve neighbourhood safety, comfort and liveability, while maintaining necessary levels of traffic circulation and emergency access. It encompasses a broad array of traffic engineering, education, and enforcement techniques to slow and disperse or re-route traffic.  The porgram does not permit installation of vertical deflection (speed humps or bumps).

Neighbourhood Traffic Safety Campaign

The Neighbourhood Traffic Safety Campaign is a neighbourhood program established by residents to inform motorists that driving fast is not acceptable on their local neighbourhood street.  Residents on a block must agree to post lawn signs calling for motorists to slow down. These sign messages are considered as an awareness and educational tool for all motorists as well as local residents.

In order to achieve a strong neighbourhood impact, it is recommended that the signs be placed on every second property within a block for a period of one to two weeks. The copious number of signs and the short period in which the signs are installed achieve an immediate impact.

Safer School Travel

The Safer School Travel (SST) Program is developed by the Safer City Team to assist Parent Advisory Committee's (PAC's) in developing a Safer School Travel plan. Every school should have a SST plan and it's the goal of the Safer City Program to take every school in Maple Ridge through this program. A realistic and balanced approach is required between providing for the safety of children and the mobility of vehicles.

A school's PAC works with the Maple Ridge's Safer City Coordinator through the step by step program. Once all the issues have been identified and supporting documentation gathered, stakeholders are invited to participate in developing strategies to reduce the problems. These stakeholders include the District of Maple Ridge, the school district, community associations, and transit. Each school will have specific needs to be met and the stakeholder group will be called as required to help resolve issues.

All SST plans focus on the three E's - Education, Enforcement and Engineering. The most cost effective and long lasting of these is Education. Driver and pedestrian behaviour can have immediate impacts. Start today to encourage awareness of Safer School Travel at your school.

Speed Watch Program

The District of Maple Ridge Speed Watch Program was established to address the increasing problem of speeding that is becoming all too common in our communities. Thanks to technology, speed limits can be monitored in your neighbourhood. In particular, the Speed Watch Program uses portable radar equipment and an electronic sign for instant feedback. As the drivers go past the radar, the sign tells the drivers what their current speed is. It is an instant reminder of their speed, and an indication of whether they are going too fast for the speed zone. The volunteers keep records and hand these over to the police to help with enforcement planning.

To become a Speed Watch volunteer you must:

• Be 19 years or older
• Have a clean driving record
• Have a minimum of four hours per month to volunteer
• Be prepared to commit one year initially
• Be willing to complete necessary training

Please contact Derrick Keist, RCMP Crime Prevention Coordinator, at 604-467-7644 for more information regarding the Speed Watch Program.