Cars not welcome in front of this school in Mississauga at certain times of day

A Mississauga public school will close off front-of-the-building access to cars at specific times of the day starting next week as students return to classes.

In an effort to improve safety, vehicles will be kept away from student drop-off and pickup areas for the entire school year in front of Corliss Public School in Malton as part of a national School Streets pilot study in which the City of Mississauga is participating.

A second, yet-to-be-determined Mississauga school is also taking part in the extended pilot project, which seeks to make roads around schools safer for kids. The second school, to be a Catholic school, will participate in the program during the 2026-27 academic year.

Starting the first week in September and continuing until school lets out next June, a “temporary car-free environment” will be established in front of Corliss Public School in an effort to “create a safer, community-friendly space for those walking and cycling to and from school,” city officials said.

The car-free environment will be in effect at drop-off time in the morning and pickup time in the afternoon using barricades and road closure signage in front of the schools, the city added.

“This pilot creates a safer space for students travelling to and from school, helps reduce the number of trips to school by car and promotes physical activity like walking or cycling,” city officials said in an earlier news release.

Kids will be able to walk or cycle to school more safely as part of an upcoming pilot program in Mississauga.

Closing the road in front of schools at drop-off and pickup times “also helps improve road safety around the school, encourages physical activity through active school travel, reduces traffic congestion, enhances air quality, builds stronger community connections and can provide mental health and focus benefits at school,” the city added.

For the school year starting this September, residents, parents/guardians and school staff will not be able to drive directly to Corliss Public School, located on Corliss Crescent near Darcel Avenue and Morning Star Drive, during the specified morning and afternoon time periods.

Corliss Crescent will be closed to vehicle traffic between Darla Drive and Teeswater Road (see map below) for morning and afternoon bells, city officials said.

“This includes all vehicles except for school buses, emergency vehicles and residents who live within the closure area,” they added.

Map shows area where cars will not be allowed at certain times of the day.

Mississauga Ward 5 Coun. Natalie Hart welcomes the pilot project.

“Encouraging students to walk or bike to school will not only help them stay active, but also help foster a strong sense of community by creating a safe space for social interaction and play,” she said earlier.

Sam Rogers, Mississauga’s commissioner of transportation and works, said the city is one of 25 communities across Canada participating in the extended School Streets initiative.

“Many of our school zones face temporary congestion during drop-off and pickup times, which presents traffic dangers, high concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions and lost opportunities for students to get physical activity and develop the skills needed to travel independently,” he said in June. “Implementing this School Streets pilot will be an innovative approach to help us create a space where students can feel more comfortable walking, cycling or rolling to and from school.”

The Mississauga School Streets pilot project is delivered in partnership with Green Communities Canada and funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

In 2022, the city took part in a School Streets pilot in Mississauga that involved three elementary schools for three weeks in May and June.

That initiative proved successful, city officials said, prompting them to support Mississauga’s involvement in the extended pilot to begin in September.

(All photos/images: City of Mississauga)