Improvements to a deadly stretch of highway appear to be working.
Last year, restrictions were put in place at the intersection of Highway 11 and Wanuskewin Road after there were renewed calls for something to finally be done following the death of a family of four.
READ MORE: Saskatoon family reeling after fatal crash claims four lives
Corman Park Reeve Judy Harwood said at that time, everything about the intersection made for a deadly combination.
“People were crossing over two lanes of highway traffic to continue across the road so it was extremely dangerous.”
In late August, the province’s first memorial roadside signs were installed at the location – honouring the Van de Vorst family who was fatally broadsided in January of 2016 by an impaired driver.
READ MORE: Saskatchewan’s first roadside memorial signs honour Van de Vorst family
The dangers associated with this section of road go back much further than that, said Harwood, and statistics back that up.
Here is a look at the number of collisions, injuries and fatalities at the intersection, year after year.
Harwood was quick to point out the data doesn’t include near misses.
“So you don’t get to hear all the times where someone just about got hit and potentially killed so knew there was an issue at that intersection.”
Spurred on by safety concerns, the Ministry of Highways decided to block off Range Road 3052 for good, the road directly across the two lanes of highway from Wanuskewin Road
“By closing that particular access point we could reduce the number of collisions through the studies by upwards of 60 per cent so that decision was made and so far that feedback as been positive,” said Steve Shaheen with the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure.
Statistics to prove this for 2017 from SGI are still too preliminary to report but from all indications this change has significantly reduced collision rates.
“I have not heard of any incidents there since that was closed so I would look at that as an indicator of just how positive a move that has been,” Harwood said.
Other measures that have been made by the ministry include extending the left hand turn lane towards Wanuskewin Road for those traveling in from Warman.
There is also talk of prohibited left hand turns for those wanting to head back to the city from Wanuskewin Road.
“I’d like to say I think safety should trump inconvenience,” Harwood said.