New traffic safety measures were installed Thursday in Regina‘s Harbour Landing neighbourhood.
The city shared in a statement on Thursday that a pedestrian crossing and traffic calming curbs were being positioned along the 4000 block of James Hill Road in front of Harbour Landing Village — a complex which houses a retirement home and childcare centre, among other businesses.
Across the street from the building is a frequently used park.
“Traffic calming curbs are pre-manufactured concrete slabs placed on the asphalt roadway where pedestrian safety is a concern,” said the city’s statement.
“They serve as a catalyst to increase pedestrian safety in neighbourhoods by encouraging drivers to travel at reduced speeds, improving yielding behaviour and shortening the crossing distance for pedestrians.”
The added safety measures come after an incident this past summer involving a collision of a seven-year-old boy and a moving vehicle on the same block.
While the boy only suffered minor injuries, citizens in the neighbourhood, including members of Harbour Landing Village, called on the city to make the high traffic area safer for pedestrians.
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“It’s a busy street with a lot of traffic, a lot of people walking across the street, a lot of kids playing. It’s one of the busier parks in the area,” said Lauren Benesh, who serves as both the general manager of Harbour Landing Village and chair of Harbour Landing Community Association.
Benesh said it’s a prime location for families and children to stay active and gather.
She said the community has been in communication with the city for a few years to find a solution to make the area safer.
The initial step occurred when the city reduced the speed limit to 30 kilometres per hour, which Benesh said helped a little bit. However, she said there were still issues with on-street parking and other traffic factors.
She believes this is another big step to creating a safer environment in the area.
“I think this crosswalk will help slow down traffic as well as bring more awareness to the people in the community and kids using the park,” Benesh said.
“There are still outstanding things that could help more like putting a fence around the park to create another barrier for kids and park users.”
Harbour Landing Village will also have access to a new parking lot next to the building, which Benesh said will alleviate the congestion of parked vehicles on the street between the complex and the park.
She said the parking lot is nearly complete and should be ready for use by next week.