First responders are pointing to the speed reductions along Highway 1 and the installation of photo radar as reasons why they have responded to fewer serious incidents along that corridor recently.
Members of the Moose Jaw Police Service, Moose Jaw and District Fire Department and Medavie Health Services (ambulance) spoke about the highway’s safety during a town hall meeting at the Multiplex on Dec. 1, which focused on improving the intersection of Ninth Avenue Northwest and Highway 1.
Police service
Deputy Police Chief Rick Johns explained that he regularly patrolled Highway 1 during his 25-year career because it was a problem area. He discovered that there were more speeding motorists than police could ever stop.
However, the installation of photo radar in 2016 contributed to a decline in overall speeders.
“The automated speed enforcement provides value because there is increased signage going into that area advising of speed reduction and speed cameras going into that area,” Johns said. “And we think that also provides some deterrent and risk reduction … .”
Johns added that he responded to two fatalities at that intersection during his career but none since the introduction of photo radar.
Staff Sgt. Taylor Elder presented statistics from the photo radar cameras for Jan. 25, 2020 to Nov. 29, 2022.
The data showed more than 5.7 million vehicles travelled east or west through that intersection of Ninth Northwest and Highway 1. The average speed was below the limit, at 73.72 km/h; the highest speed was 186 km/h in August 2020.
While traffic lights won’t solve the problems at that intersection, the additional signage with photo radar has decreased the severity of collisions to which police respond, added Elder.
Meanwhile, the data haven’t changed significantly since the cameras’ installations, but — again — there have been fewer severe incidents.
Fire department
Fire Chief Rod Montgomery explained that his department has responded to fatalities at that intersection over the years. However, other critical locations cross the highway, including Manitoba Street East and Ninth Avenue Northeast, and the Main Street overpass.
“Anytime you cross a highway, I think it’s problematic,” he remarked.
Montgomery didn’t believe traffic lights would solve the problem since there would still be collisions. He noted that collisions continued occurring at Main Street and Thatcher Drive when lights were introduced.
From a professional and personnel perspective, the fire chief thought constructing an overpass was the best solution. He hoped that the Ministry of Highways was researching this matter and using all available data, including from other provinces with traffic lights on Highway 1.
“Now that the traffic has been reduced to 80 kilometres per hour, the impacts of those accidents have been less,” Montgomery said. “There hasn’t been as many (and) I don’t think they have been as serious (either) … but at any given moment, something tragic could happen.”
Montgomery thought the entire Highway 1 corridor from the landfill to Ninth Avenue Northwest needed addressing, including reducing the speed — which “makes a big difference” — to 80 km/h or 60 km/h, installing more photo radar or having more police patrolling the area.
Medavie Health Services
EMS Chief Kyle Sereda submitted an email to the meeting. He noted that before the photo radar and speed reductions, the ambulance service responded to collisions weekly or bi-weekly.
Since 2016, the emergency service has responded to that intersection every four to six weeks, while injuries have been less serious.
“I can say this with confidence that … we find ourselves paying more attention to the intersection of Thatcher Drive and Highway 1 than we do … with Ninth Avenue (Northwest) and Highway 1,” he added.
