REGINA – The provincial government is trying to step up safety measures along Highway 1 east of Regina.
Starting on Tuesday, the speed limit at this spot will be reduced to 90 km/hr as part of a pilot project.
The new limits will be in effect on Highway 1 from the Pilot Butte Access to just east of the Highway 48 junction.
According to SGI, from 2008-12, there have been 477 intersection crashes resulting in 180 injuries and 8 deaths on the stretch of highway from Regina to Balgonie.
“There are three components to traffic safety: engineering, enforcement and education,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Don McMorris said. “Our government continues to assess what steps we can take in terms of infrastructure and traffic operation improvements, increased police presence and public education.
“It’s also important to recognize these are very busy highways and we all need to drive in a responsible manner.”
Families of crash victims lobbed the government last month, asking for anything to prevent another tragedy.
Anne Panter, who delivered a petition to the government, says a simply speed reduction isn’t enough.
“Putting up signs, changing speeds, nothing is going to make that safer until we put in traffic lights and finally an overpass,” Panter said. “Whenever we go past the Pilot Butte intersection, we say the name of the kid who died there.”
McMorris still says traffic lights would not be a good fit along this stretch of highway based on the rural setting. Construction of the Regina bypass is expected to replace these intersections with overpasses.
Since this is a pilot project, the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure will monitor the impact that this move has on traffic safety.
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