MOOSE JAW — The provincial government is providing the City of Moose Jaw and Village of Mortlach with money to enhance road safety as part of its recent distribution of traffic safety fund grants.
The province recently disbursed $1.53 million to 61 communities for various projects, with Moose Jaw receiving $100,000 to enhance pedestrian safety and Mortlach receiving $60,796 to address pedestrian safety at intersections and make motorists aware of speed limits.
The province gives traffic safety fund grant money to communities twice a year, using proceeds from SGI’s photo speed enhancement program. Since 2019, the program has given out $14.55 million to 981 projects.
“Anything we can do to increase safety is welcome. We’ve had a great relationship with SGI and the province,” Maryse Carmichael, Moose Jaw’s city manager, said.
For example, city hall used funding from SGI to install rapid rectangular flashing beacon (RRFB) pedestrian crossing lights on Thatcher Drive near Fourth Avenue Northwest, she pointed out.
“So … (the money is) very welcome. We’re really grateful to have this funding to be able to increase the safety,” she remarked.
Carmichael added that she was unsure how the city would use this funding, although the municipality would contribute in-house funding to supplement what the province and SGI provided.
Anggy Ladner, the chief administrative officer (CAO) for Mortlach, said it was “amazing” to receive this funding since it would help the community enhance safety near its school. She pointed out that there is a four-way stop near that building, but many motorists ignore it.
“So it’s very important that we keep the kids safe and get everybody to stop and watch for them and slow down,” she continued. “And just keep everyone in our community safe in our community in general. We have a lot of people who go walking.
“And the more awareness we can raise about what speed you’re actually going … is one of our top priorities.”
The village purchased a speed radar sign and two speed humps last year, using money from the provincial grant. Ladner noted that the speed humps were for Rose Street, where residential lots start and where children live.
This year, the municipality plans to purchase two more radar devices for Alexander Street to remind people about the 40-kilometre-per-hour speed limit, since motorists “get going a little too fast there,” she said.
To enhance school-zone safety, the village plans to purchase two speed radar signs and two reflective lines to highlight the crosswalk and “draw people’s eyes more” to that area.
“We have stop signs, but now there’s going to be designated crosswalks to try to encourage the kids also to cross the street in that area, because that’s where people should be most looking for them … ,” added Ladner.
Meanwhile, Ladner said there is “so much going on” in Mortlach with development, such as the construction of a new pavilion in the park and new houses going up “like crazy.” She joked that the village is becoming “a little Moose Jaw.”
“That’s how I market it when someone inquires (with) me about buying a lot,” she laughed, adding that it feels good for the village to be prospering.
Continuing, she said that dedicated volunteers and committed council members work to include all residents in activities. She noted that the community is comprised of a large group of long-time residents and new and younger people, so the goal is to blend everyone into one community while keeping all the new children safe.
“It’s just wonderful to see,” she added.
