Tuesday marks the first day of school for many students in Edmonton.

It also marks the first day drivers will have to obey 30-kilometre speed limits around elementary schools

City council approved the changes in July. Mayor Don Iveson says they were long overdue.

“It’s been I think 40 years or more since we’ve had school zones,” Iveson said.

“As a father with a five-year-old starting kindergarten, I’m really pleased that we’re back in the school zone business. We’ll have a safer city and fewer tragedies as a result.”

The previously posted speed was 50 km/h.

The Edmonton Catholic School Board asked the city to establish lower speed limits around schools in 2011 after a woman was struck and killed walking her great-granddaughter to school.

The city says it will spend $500,000 to enforce the new speed zones.