Now that the new school zone times in Peachtree City are posted, the next job is to erect new larger school zone signs ... and new signs that will warn motorists before they enter the school zones.

The city is also adding eight new school zones in large part to cover cart path crossings used by students walking to school and those on carts, police said. It will take some time for the public works department to roll out the nearly 300 sign changes, police said.

With the beginning of school several weeks ago, the city changed its school zone times so all elementary schools would have the same school zone times, and so all middle and high schools would be on a similar time zone schedule, police said.

In doing so, they lengthened the afternoon school zone hours to 4 p.m. for elementary schools, a move designed to accommodate after-school programs and other clubs and activities that meet after elementary schools end their regular day, said Peachtree City Police Lt. Mark Brown. Fayette’s elementary schools dismiss classes at 2:30 p.m.

The department is giving motorists 30 days to become acclimated to the changes before enforcement will begin, Clark said.

The new times have been highlighted with warning flags on signs to get motorists attention, and the police department had a letter sent home by the schools to parents detailing the time changes for school zones, noted Police Chief H.C. “Skip” Clark.

For the city’s five elementary schools, the speed zone enforcement times run from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m.

The zones for Booth Middle and McIntosh High schools will now run from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Clark said the new signs, once implemented, will be an improvement because they will be more visible to motorists, particularly around corners and other areas where signs might not be as visible.

“They’re very visible, so there should be no issue,” Clark said.

Clark noted the new signs include some that will warn motorists before they enter a school zone.

“This is all about safety, that’s the reason we’re doing this,” Clark said.