Speed-on-green initiative discussed at recent City of Regina council meeting

The City of Regina executive council is looking into introducing a “speed-on-green” initiative with hopes of partnering with Saskatoon to present a plan to the province.

The proposed initiative, discussed at a recent City of Regina executive meeting, monitors motorists who speed through traffic lights via cameras.

The City of Regina also looked at a three-year review of the Red Light Safety Program following the 2019 implementation of the new digital red light technology. The update contains information on violations, accident and collision data, the effectiveness of the program, enhancements to safety and a general overview of the program.

The Regina city council meeting, held on Sept. 7, included talks about the potential to expand the program to other locations and on the committee’s interest in engagement and collaboration with the province and implementing a speed-on-green initiative.

“I’m persuaded this will increase safety, particularly for pedestrians from cars turning right,” said Coun. Bob Hawkins. “I’m also persuaded especially that the fact that Saskatoon and other cities have successfully done this.”

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Hawkins was concerned over the high number of people — 43,944 — the report said stepped on the gas going between 50 and 60 kilometres an hour in a one-year timeframe.

“This strikes me as a very serious safety problem,” said Hawkins. “I really think we have to do something about this.”

Executive director of citizen services Kim Onrait said this is not just a Regina issue and hopes to open the conversation up with Saskatoon to jointly approach the province to ask for a change in the traffic act by implementing the speed-on-green initiative.

“I think in terms of having a conversation with Saskatoon and being able to put a letter together, that can happen very quickly,” said Onrait. “I’m not sure on the response time back from the province.”

Onrait hopes to provide an answer at next week’s City of Regina council meeting on how quickly they can team up with the City of Saskatoon to present to the province.

1:43 Red light cameras in full effect at three ‘high-risk’ Regina intersections