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Council declines to reduce speed on Main Street, to use traffic-calming measures instead

Council voted 5-2 to have city administration install traffic-calming measures and provide a report about the cost to implement these measures
Downtown 1a
Downtown Moose Jaw. File photo.

The City of Moose Jaw is looking at installing traffic calming measures along a 12-block stretch of Main Street to slow traffic to help protect patrons visiting restaurants’ pop-up patios.

The Downtown Moose Jaw Association Inc. approached city council during the June 14 regular meeting and asked that the speed limit be reduced to 40 kilometres per hour (km/h) from 50 km/h starting at Main Street and Oxford Street and ending at Main Street and Manitoba Street. 

However, council voted 5-2 to have city administration install traffic-calming measures — such as speed bumps, wider sidewalks, wider boulevards, or cement barriers — and provide a report about the cost to implement these measures.

Councillors Kim Robinson and Dawn Luhning were opposed.

Council also voted 4-3 to refer this matter to the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) for further analysis. Councillors Heather Eby, Luhning, and Robinson were opposed, while Mayor Fraser Tolmie and councillors Jamey Logan, Crystal Froese and Doug Blanc were in favour.

Police perspective 

City hall sent a letter to the police service asking for input about reducing the speed limit along Main Street. 

Police Chief Rick Bourassa replied that the city’s request gave the agency little time to conduct a thorough analysis of traffic data. A general reviewed showed 11 motor vehicle collisions occurred on Main Street between January 2020 and June 2021. 

Since this analysis did not indicate that speed was a problem or the current speed limit was harmful, Bourassa added that the MJPS yielded to the expertise of the traffic engineers. 

Promoting pop-up patios

Geoff Anderson, board chair of the downtown association and general manager of the Co-op, and board member John Iatridis, owner of The Mad Greek, spoke to council about decreasing the speed limit along Main Street.  

Anderson explained that the association fully supports the pop-up patio initiative since there will likely be economic spinoffs, especially as the community moves past the pandemic. The association believes the program can be successful if the speed limit is reduced to 40 km/h.

“We feel that by considering this request, patrons will be able to enjoy a safer and more enjoyable experience and reduce worry for business owners and customers,” he added.

Council discussion

Mayor Fraser Tolmie appreciated the request coming forward and city administration reaching out to the police for input. However, he wanted public input about this proposed idea since nothing had been presented to council about that. 

Business owners likely want “ambiance” with their pop-up patios but don’t want vehicles “rocketing up and down” Main Street disturbing patrons, he pointed out. The goal should be to keep people downtown to spend money and support shops.   

Speed has no bearing on how many accidents occur on most highways or roads, as seen on Highway 1 in Moose Jaw over the years, said Blanc. Speed might affect the severity of an accident and cause more deaths but will not affect the number of incidents. 

Speed bumps aren’t the answer since that would make removing snow and cleaning streets more difficult, he added. However, he thought installing cement barriers and painting them bright colours could protect patrons.

If more speeding tickets are given out, tourists and residents will not spend as much money downtown and there will be many unhappy people, said Eby. There have already been enough complaints about parking tickets. 

“I don’t think this will really do what we want it to do. It will not be just for summertime and the patios; it will be all-year-round … ,” she added. “If it’s not enforced, there’s no point in doing it.”

Seeking public input will be a waste of time since most people will say no, said Luhning. That is why council is here: to make the tough decisions. What she wanted was the “aesthetics” of the downtown addressed and changes to slow traffic. 

Luhning added that, through improved communications, city hall needs to encourage more businesses to erect pop-up patios and spur people to come downtown. This needs to happen since the summer is fast approaching.

 The next regular council meeting is Monday, June 28. 

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