Highway 9 speed limits reduced

Speed limits along Highway 9 through the City are going to be reduced.

"The RCMP has discussed with Administration the number of accidents and general speeding for the intersection at York Road and HWY # 9. The RCMP recommended that there be changes to the sequencing of the traffic lights as well as speed zone at this location," detailed a report circulated to the regular meeting of Yorkton Council Monday.

"The latest information available for intersections where collisions have occurred is the period 2007 to 2009. Highway #9 has experienced a considerable number of collisions and/or personal injury at intersections from Queen Street to York Road.

These intersections include both controlled and uncontrolled turning movements. An example of a controlled intersection is Hamilton Road and Highway #9. There have been 15 collisions involving property damage and five involving personal injury. In contrast, the King Street and Highway #9 intersection, an uncontrolled intersection, has experienced five collisions with property damage and none with personal injury."

It is recommended, therefore, that the speed limits on Hwy #9 be reduced from 70 km to 60 km in the areas from Grain Millers Drive to York Road and from Queen Street to the turn-off to the Tourism Centre. The area in between these two areas would be reduced to 50 km throughout rather than 60 km and 50 km. By doing so, this should lessen the potential for collisions along this segment of Hwy #9. The traffic lights will be re-calibrated with this change in speed zones, explained Gord Shaw, Director of Planning & Engineering with the City.

This matter was also discussed by the Protective Services Committee at its October 11, 2011, meeting. The Committee determined that it would be prudent to transition speed from Grain Millers Drive to York Road. This would be achieved by reducing speed from 100 km to 70 km and then to 60 km at a safe distance before York Road.

Administration believes that this may be approximately 600 m south of Grain Millers Drive where there is a driveway to a service road on the east side of the highway.

Hwy #9 between York Road intersection and the intersection of Hwy # 16 will be 50km, said the report.

Shaw added, there will be a need to communicate this to the public and a transition period is recommended. Advertisement in the newspaper as well as on the web site and signage on the highway will warn the public in advance of implementing this speed change.

The recommendation was unanimously supported by Council.