Mayor Lucas Introduces Ordinance to Enhance School Zone Safety

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Mayor Quinton Lucas has introduced a new traffic safety ordinance aimed at protecting students in school zones by prohibiting right turns on red signals when school zone speed limits are in effect following the tragic death of a schoolgirl in a school zone vehicular crash.

Ordinance 250927 responds to growing concerns about pedestrian safety near schools and represents a significant step forward in the city's commitment to Vision Zero-the goal of eliminating traffic-related deaths and serious injuries on Kansas City streets.

"We have a fundamental responsibility to protect anyone who travels on our streets, especially our children," said Mayor Quinton Lucas. "Every parent should feel confident that their child can safely walk or bike to school. The ordinance will keep our children safe by eliminating one of the most dangerous conflict points between vehicles and students during the busiest times of the school day."

Key provisions of the ordinance include:

The measure was prompted by the tragic death of nine-year-old Hazen Nevaeh Lyn Workman-Duffy, an elementary school student, at an intersection near a Kansas City school, highlighting the need for enhanced traffic safety measures in areas with heavy pedestrian activity during arrival and dismissal times.

The ordinance will be heard by the Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee on Tuesday, October 28. If approved, it will go before the full City Council on Thursday, October 30.