FAQs

The blue boxes have been installed to act as quick visual reminders to drivers in school zones of where the school zones start and end, to remind drivers to slow down and to use caution.

The goal is to raise awareness of school zones, reduce driver speeds in school zones and help enhance traffic safety for vulnerable road users such as children, pedestrians, cyclist, older road users, and people with disabilities.

We used a specific set of criteria to determine which school zones were best suited to this initiative.

Criteria for school zone selection included:

• Within the City of Whitehorse municipal limits;
• The roadway configuration must be one lane in each direction undivided (due to data collection limitations, and because of possible different speed zones and road rules on divided roadways, for example Lewes Blvd school zone);
• Adequate number of street light poles available;
• No additional intersection traffic control/traffic calming devices in the area; and;
• An elementary school – as smaller children are at increased vulnerability and require more knowledge of traffic safety.

We used a set of criteria to identify school zone areas that would be best suited to this type of initiative – specifically, we targeted elementary schools that did not have significant traffic control, traffic calming, or road safety countermeasures already in place such as a T-intersections, traffic lights, or roundabouts.

A private contractor with permission from all partners installed the blue boxes on street light poles within school zones.

This campaign is led by the Government of Yukon in partnership with the ATCO Electric Yukon, City of Whitehorse, and Yukon RCMP.

If you see an issue with or damage to any of the blue boxes, contact the Government of Yukon, Road Safety Unit at 867-667-8835.

If the damage is to the street light pole itself, contact ATCO Electric Yukon at at 867 633-7000 or at www.atcoelectricyukon.com.

We choose a solid blue colour because some of the poles on which we’re installing the boxes had pre-existing regulatory road signs (parking signage, crosswalk signage, school zone signage). Blue was chosen because: 

• it does not detract from pre-existing signage in the school zone;
• there are no regulatory signs in blue; and
• it ties into previous school zone projects that have used blue themes.

No. We have intentionally left the boxes free of decorations or design. They are comparable to the sidewalk curb being painted a different color.

The Yukon RCMP always has ongoing enforcement activities in place in school zones during the school year. Dates and times of enforcement activities are not advertised.

Unfortunately, only schools that meet the initiatives criteria can be part of this program.

The boxes will be up for the entire 2022-2023 school year, potentially longer.