Default 40 km/h unposted speed limit comes into effect May 31, 2021

With the weather warming up, and more people getting outside, an important safety initiative from The City comes into effect on May 31, 2021. The default unposted speed limit on neighbourhood streets will change to 40 km/h as of May 31, making an evening stroll, bike ride, or walk to the park safer for all Calgarians.

“We’re seeing an average of 9,100 collisions on neighbourhood streets every year,” said Tony Churchill, Senior Traffic engineer. “These changes to speed limits are on the streets that impact Calgarians’ lives the most – the street in front of their home.”

The new 40 km/h unposted speed limit is only on neighbourhood streets, and not major roads like Crowchild Trail, Memorial Drive, or Anderson Road. Playground zones have not been changed, and remain at 30 km/h 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

“The City is committed to providing safe roads for everyone who uses them,” Churchill said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re driving, walking, or biking, when it comes to a crash speed is the biggest determining factor for injuries.”

At the February 1, 2021 Strategic Meeting of Council the City of Calgary Standard Speed Limit Bylaw was passed. This bylaw, and the detailed technical analysis and cost benefit analysis that was done, demonstrate that a small reduction in driving speed can reduce the chance of collisions. Travelling at a slower speed gives a driver more time to react, broadens their field of vision, and reduces how severe crashes are when they happen. It also gives others, including cyclists and pedestrians, more time to react to an approaching vehicle.

Calgarians are encouraged to visit calgary.ca/saferspeed to see where changes are happening in their neighbourhoods, with our interactive map tool, as well as find answers to frequently asked questions about the changes.

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