St. Cloud Approves 20 MPH School Zones Near Madison Elementary, South Junior High

(KNSI) – Kids walking and biking to two St. Cloud schools will soon have slower traffic around them, after neighbors and parents told the city cars were moving too fast.

The St. Cloud City Council voted 7-0 Monday to create 20 mph school zones near Madison Elementary and South Junior High. The current limit on both stretches is 30 mph.

Council Member Hudda Ibrahim said she has spent time door knocking in the Madison Elementary neighborhood. “More than once I heard concerns about cars moving so fast near the school, especially when children are walking or biking or crossing the street.”

The change follows complaints about stop sign changes at 10th Street North and 27th Avenue North, along with an earlier parking request near South Junior High. City engineers did not support bringing back an all-way stop at the 10th Street intersection, but they say a school zone speed limit is one of the most effective ways to protect kids walking and biking to school.

Council President Mike Conway said the neighborhood has been waiting for a fix since the roads there were rebuilt. “I think this will be a nice resolution that everybody can live with or at least make sure that we get some teeth in that area for people that are speeding.”

Near Madison Elementary, the school zone will run on 10th Street North from near 26th Avenue North through 31st Avenue North. At South Junior High, it will cover 15th Avenue South from 11th Street South to 15th Street South.

The zones will be marked with school zone signs and could include flashing beacons during drop-off and pickup times. The city says the cost will be minimal, and engineers can revisit the zones if traffic patterns change.

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