School zone speed limits start soon: where the schools are, so you can skip the ticket

Soon, there will be more traffic during the morning commute to work as yellow buses pick up kids for school, which means enforcement of school zone speed limits will begin next week.

Mass state law implements a statewide speed limit of 20 miles per hour for all school zones. Daniel Wolski, Winchendon Police Chief, said speeding fines increase depending on the MPH over the posted speed limit a motorist is caught traveling. He said the minimum speeding fine in all areas, including school zones, is $100.

"Motorists must adhere to the 20MPH school zone speed limit when children are present or when the yellow caution lights are flashing," he said. "There is no enhanced penalty for speeding in a school zone. However, motorists can receive a traffic citation for violating the law as they would in any public way."

Wolski said the Winchendon Police Department intends to increase its presence in school zones once the 2024-2025 school year is underway.

"The mere presence of a police cruiser parked and monitoring traffic in the area can have a great impact on slowing motorists down," he said. "Our goal is to promote and foster safe walking environments for the children of our community."

Here's what to know about your community school zones and when and where they will start this month.

Gardner school zones

The Gardner Elementary School, Middle School, and High School are all on Pearl Street in Gardner, where the school zone will be implemented. The 20 mph speed limit on that street will start the first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The school zone will begin every morning Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 9 a.m. and then again during afternoon dismissal hours of 1:55 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Pre-schoolers' dismissal at GES runs from 11:05 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

While Gardner Academy has the same first day as the other Gardner Public Schools, it is on a different street and has a different start and dismissal time. The academy is at 160 Elm Street, and the school zone will begin every Monday through Friday at 6:45 a.m. and then again for dismissal at 2:45 p.m.

Ashburnham/Westminster school zones

All three elementary schools in the Ashburnham Westminster Regional School Districts start the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 26, for grades 1-5. Kindergarten has their first day of school on Wednesday, Aug 28, and Preschoolers will start on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

The school zone for John R. Briggs Elementary School at 96 Williams Rd. in Ashburnham will begin Monday through Friday from 7:35 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and then again for dismissal at 2:50 p.m. Preschool arrival at John R. Briggs school begins at 8:40 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. and then again from 11:10 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

The Meetinghouse School and Westminster Elementary at 8 South Street and 9 Academy Hill Rd in Westminster will implement the 20 mph school zone speed limit every Monday to Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and then again for the afternoon dismissal at 2:55 p.m.

Both Overlook Middle School and Oakmont Regional High School are on Oakmont Drive in Ashburnham. The middle and high school will have their first day of school on Monday, August. 26. Ashburnham residents will be expected to slow down at Oakmont Drive every Monday to Friday between 6:35 a.m. and 7:20 a.m. and then again at 4 p.m.

Narragansett Regional School District

Templeton residents and commuters who travel on South Road in Templeton will have to slow down to 20 mph every morning and afternoon Monday through Friday during Tempelton Elementary School 's arrival and dismissal hours for grades pre-K-4. School zones will be implemented starting at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. and again at noon and 2:30 p.m.

Both the Narragansett Regional High School and Middle School are on Baldwinville Rd. in Baldwinville. School zones start at 7 a.m. and end at 7:45 a.m. In the afternoon, the 20 mph school zone will be implemented at 2:20 p.m.

Quabbin Regional School District

The only Quabbin Regional School District school in the greater Gardner area is the Hubbardston Center School at 8 Elm Street in Hubbardston. The elementary school's first day for grades K-5 is Wednesday, Aug. 28, and preschoolers will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 3

Commuters can expect to slow down on Elm Street in Hubbardston between 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. Pre K morning students' drop-off is from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., and pick-up is at 11:15 a.m. to 11:30. The afternoon pre K students arrive between 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. and are picked up at 2:45 p.m. to 2:55 p.m.

Winchendon Public School District

School zones for Winchendon commuters and residents will start on Wednesday, Aug. 28. All Winchendon Public School kindergarteners will start their first day of school on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and preschoolers will start the following day, Thursday, Sept. 5.

School zones will begin at Toy Town Elementary , 175 Grove Str. in Winchendon, at 8:15 a.m. and will start again during dismissal at 2:45 p.m.

The school zone at Memorial Elementary School on 32 Elwood Rd. will begin at 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and then again at 3:05 p.m. for dismissal.

Winchendon residents and commuters will expect to follow the 20 mph school zone speed limit on Memorial Drive during the Murdock Middle and High School arrival and dismissal hours. The school zone on Memorial Drive is Monday to Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and again at 3:05 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: School zone speed limits start soon: where the schools are, so you can skip the ticket