Richland School Zones Will Be Active on Wednesday – Use Caution

Richland middle schools will return to in-class learning on Wednesday, (Jan. 27^th) with a hybrid schedule for Grade 6. The Richland School Board approved the back to school timeline earlier this month and a complete return to school timeline is available at their website.This means students will be back on the bus and using crosswalks and sidewalks. It’s been almost a year since the school zones have been active with students and many motorists have relaxed their driving habits in these areas.

School zone safety beacon lights will be flashing during times of transit. The City of Richland is urging motorists to use caution and to remember to slow down when driving through the school zones. The City of Richland has a dedicated webpage with links to the hybrid school zone flash schedule and also provides a map that shows the safe walk routes for each elementary school in Richland.

A School Zone is a section of road with a reduced speed limit of 20 MPH. Motorists must maintain 20 MPH or less through the entire zone which is usually marked with “School Zone Start” and “School Zone End” signs or large markings on the road – it typically takes about 30-45 seconds to drive through a zone. School Zone citations can be pretty hefty and range from $189 for going 5 MPH over the speed limit and up to $300 (or more) for going 10 MPH over the speed limit. School Zone citations are rarely waived. So make sure to slow down for the kids and welcome them back to class safely.