Coun. Crystal Froese would like to see the Ministry of Highways undertake a regional transportation traffic study of the area since it would be helpful with future economic development.
The ministry conducted a regional transportation study of the Weyburn area and presented its finding in December, Froese told city council during its Jan. 27 regular meeting. The report included information on traffic data collections, traffic counts, speed studies, collision data in and around that city, speed transitions, the location of schools and hospital, rail lines, suggested improvements to intersections and the creation of dedicated truck routes.
“It was a really comprehensive study,” she said.
Froese thought a study would benefit the City of Moose Jaw and the Rural Municipality of Moose Jaw, considering council is attempting to enhance economic development and grow the community.
While Froese was upbeat about such a study, other councillors were not.
Council voted 4-3 against the proposal. Mayor Fraser Tolmie and councillors Froese and Scott McMann were in favour; councillors Chris Warren, Heather Eby, Brian Swanson and Dawn Luhning were opposed.
Eby wondered how much such a study would cost. She pointed out such initiatives cost money, and when they reach council after a budget has been finalized, the problem becomes one of finding money to support the project.
City administration told city council there is $8,000 available, Froese replied. Furthermore, a regional transportation study would not simply happen tomorrow. Council would have to work with the ministry, so a plan would likely come back by the next budget.
However, it would probably take time to consult with the ministry and RM to determine what the interest is in conducting a study, she added.
The department of engineering already has enough projects on its plate, said Warren. For example, it has to deal with train whistles at public grade crossing; road repair policies; and paratransit schedules.
Other projects include local improvement plans (LIPs) for gravel roads; funding and construction issues for West Park; safety initiatives near Langdon Crescent and the north service road; negotiating water contracts with the RM of Baildon; creating water agreements with two golf courses; and installing smart water meters.
There are also more recent projects that council approved, he continued. An extra construction crew has been added to help with the backlog of waterworks projects, while the department has been authorized to begin recycling construction materials. There is a solid waste master plan for the landfill to create, a transit review to conduct and work to complete the Southeast Industrial Park.
Any type of negotiations with the Ministry of Highways would take years, said city manager Jim Puffalt. Administration would have to first send a letter proposing this project.
More information is needed about Weyburn’s regional transportation study, especially since that community has a different setup than Moose Jaw, said Josh Mickleborough, director of engineering. He pointed out the ministry performed an access study along Highway 1 past Moose Jaw last summer. Some recommendations came from that.
Moose Jaw does have a transportation master plan that looks at traffic through the municipality and area, but the plan is dated, he continued. City administration approached the province last year about updating the plan through a cost-sharing proposal.
“I don’t know how receptive they were to that,” added Mickleborough.
Weyburn is also “a different animal” than Moose Jaw, Eby said. That community is in the heart of oil country and there is plenty of heavy truck traffic through there. That is likely why a regional transportation plan was struck. She thought an updated transportation master plan would benefit Moose Jaw more.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Feb. 10.
