Watch above: Saskatoon motorists take matters into their own hands, jumping the curb at a major intersection to save time. Meaghan Craig reports.
SASKATOON – It’s an intersection that’s been problematic for motorists travelling eastbound on 22nd Street West for at least the last three years.
That’s how long Ward 3 Coun. Ann Iwanchuk says she’s been hearing residents voice complaints about the intersection and the ability, or lack thereof, to make a right-hand turn onto Circle Drive South or Fairlight Drive.
“It’s certainly probably one of the busiest in my ward, if not in the city. It’s definitely a busy intersection that can be backed up all the way past Fairlight Drive.”
Increased traffic volumes, a growing demand to use Circle Drive South Bridge and now motorists are taking matters into their own hands to save themselves some time by burning across the lawn.
“Every time I’m out here I see it,” said one Saskatonian, who admitted to doing it when driving his truck.
“You get two cars backed up at the light then the next person wants to turn and there’s no where for them to go,” said another motorist. “If they would have made an extra five feet of a turning lane on that corner it would have solved a lot of problems.”
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This isn’t news to Iwanchuk, who says she sees it all the time as well and has been looking to have the roadway widened.
“I’m sure it’s wreaking havoc with their vehicles and it’s certainly is causing problems with the road there but it’s the only way for some people to get through in a timely manner so that road will be widened, it will be an actual turning lane and that should alleviate some of the traffic problems.”
In 2012, barricades were put in place off Fairmont Drive onto 22nd Street to ease confusion for motorists who were merging and to minimize the number of drivers cutting across several lanes at a time.
At that time, the barriers were intended to be an end to an ongoing problem but officials said they weren’t sure it was the right answer as it would bottleneck traffic even more.
“It’s something I’ve heard a lot about ever since I was elected, we resolved one problem with the lane cutting but now we have the issue of the right hand turn,” said Iwanchuk.
“We need to get that taken care of this year and then I look forward to that being a much better intersection for people to use.”
Work on the intersection is scheduled to be among 11 other major road rehab projects slated for this summer.
Major road rehabilitation projects:
- 22nd Street West/ Circle Drive interchange
- 22nd Street West from Hart Road to Circle Drive
- Circle Drive ramps at College Drive, 108th Street & Attridge Drive
- Circle Drive Eastbound lanes from 33rd Street to Avenue C
- Avenue P from 22nd Street to 29th Street
- Warman Road from Primrose Drive to Lenore Drive
- Wanuskewin Road from Lenore Drive to Marquis Drive
- 22nd Street East from Idylwyld Drive to 3rd Avenue
- Lorne Avenue from Taylor Street to Jasper Avenue
- Taylor Street from Weyakwin Drive to Brudell Road
- 3rd Avenue from 22nd Street to 25th Street
- Circle Drive cloverleaf interchange
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