Saskatchewan City Mayors’ Caucus calls on the Government of Saskatchewan to consider photo radar

The Saskatchewan City Mayors’ Caucus (CMC) has requested that the Government of Saskatchewan consider introducing photo radar within the province.

Specifically, a CMC letter requests that the provincial government initiate a photo radar pilot project on the section of the TransCanada Highway within the boundaries of Moose Jaw. The TransCanada passes through the corporate limits of Moose Jaw for 9.5 km, intersecting with the Highway 2 overpass as well as the intersection of 9th Avenue Northwest and Thatcher Drive East.

The speed limit on this section is reduced from 110 km-h to 100 km-h for 8.5 kilometres and further reduced to 80 km-h for 500 metres on either side of the intersection of Highway 1 and 9th Avenue Northwest.

“Speed limit reductions and periodic enforcement have done little to change motorists’ speed on this section,” notes a copy of the June 26, 2012 letter sent by CMC chair Jim Scarrow, mayor of the City of Prince Albert, to Brad Wall, premier of Saskatchewan.

The letter says 72 collisions have occurred along this stretch of highway since 2000, and a recent announcement that a new hospital is to be constructed adjacent to the highway could further increase traffic and the potential for collisions.

“Currently, photo radar is not an approved enforcement tool in Saskatchewan,” the letter notes. “The CMC believes there is value in exploring what impact photo radar may have on this section of highway and what potential exists to address speeding in other areas of the project.”