Safe Roads. Safe Neighbourhoods.

The City of Spruce Grove is committed to traffic safety and creating safe, sustainable roads and quiet, peaceful neighbourhoods for all residents. 

To support this, City Council has approved the decision to reduce speed limits in residential neighbourhoods from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. The decision is based on recommendations from the Spruce Grove Roadway Speed Limit Study conducted in 2023, which found that reducing speed limits in residential areas will improve safety for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

Slowing down gives drivers more time to react to the unexpected, reduces unnecessary tragedies on our roads, and has very little impact on travel times. It also brings Spruce Grove into alignment with many other Alberta municipalities which have made the same changes, helping to provide a consistent travel experience between communities. Starting August 31, 2024, City Council has approved the following speed limit adjustments to take effect:

  • Residential neighbourhood streets and neighbourhood collector roads will be reduced from 50 to 40 km/h. 
  • McLeod Avenue from Calahoo Road to King Street will be reduced to 30 km/h.
  • Main arterial roadways will remain at 60 km/h and larger collector roads will remain at 50 km/h.

School Zones

School zones have a maximum speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on school days.

Playground Zones

Playground zones have a maximum speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour from 8 a.m. to one hour after sunset, all year long.

Frequently asked questions

Reducing speeds in residential neighbourhoods makes our streets calmer, quieter, and safer for people walking, biking, driving and enjoying their neighbourhood. Slowing down gives drivers more time to react to the unexpected, reduces unnecessary tragedies on our roads, and has very little impact on travel times. This shift also aligns with the approach taken in many other Alberta municipalities, helping to provide a consistent travelling experience and expectations between communities.

The 40 km/hr speed limit in residential neighbourhoods takes effect August 31, 2024.

Enforcement will be conducted through regular traffic patrols by Enforcement Services.

Any exceptions will have posted speed limits, for example, school zones have a speed limit of 30 km/h on school days between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and playground zones are 30 km/h from 8 a.m. to one hour after sunset. If there are no posted speed signs on a residential street, assume the speed limit is 40 km/h.

This change is expected to have very little impact on commute times and traffic flow within neighbourhoods. Most residential neighbourhood streets in Spruce Grove are within a 1-3 minute drive of an arterial road such as Grove Drive, Century Road, Calahoo Road, or Jennifer Heil Way. The 60 km/h speed limit on these roads is not changing and therefore the impact to overall commute times is expected to be negligible.

The Safe Roads. Safe Communities. initiative is based on recommendations from the Spruce Grove Roadway Speed Limit Study conducted in 2023, which identified more than a dozen roads in Spruce Grove for which lower speed limits were recommended. 

In July and August 2024, the City will post temporary and permanent signage around the community notifying drivers of the upcoming speed limit changes. Public communication will also happen through the City website and social media channels, printed media, and the CityPulse e-newsletter. In addition, Enforcement Services staff will work to educate motorists during traffic stops and routine patrols about the upcoming speed reduction. After the new speed limits take effect on August 31, 2024, the City will continue to communicate information about the changes on a regular, ongoing basis for the rest of the year.

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