Council narrowly votes to increase speed limits through Northeast Swale

Your trip through the Northeast Swale will be a little bit quicker in the near future, and more consistent.

Saskatoon City Council narrowly passed through an increase to the speed limit, from 50 km/h to 60 km/h within the area Monday, by a 6-5 vote. Mayor Charlie Clark, along with Coun. Cynthia Block, Hilary Gough, Sarina Gersher and Mairin Loewen voted not in favour.

Council voted on three different stretches of road.

McOrmond Drive from Fedoruk Drive north of Kenaschuk Cres. will also see a 10 km/h increase after that vote passed 8-3. Coun. Gough, Gersher and Loewen voted not in favour.

The areas were originally set at 50 km/h before Chief Mistawasis Bridge opened in 2018.

(City of Saskatoon)

The changes through the Northeast Swale are located on McOrmond Drive to the turn-off on Fedoruk Drive. Additionally, a stretch of road on Central Ave. to the Fedoruk Drive turn-off will also be raised to 60 km/h.

Saskatoon’s transportation committee voted down two of the three motions earlier in May. Coun. Bev Dubois, as she noted during the transportation committee, reintroduced the motion Monday.

Northeast Swale Watchers chair Louise Jones was not in favour of the change, citing wildlife fatalities within the stretch of road— a main reason for the 50 km/h speed limit set near the Northeast Swale in 2018.

“The distribution of documented animal kills indicates the current speed limits have met the objective of reducing wildlife vehicular collisions,” she said during Monday’s meeting.

According to city administration’s report, from Oct. 1, 2018 to Oct. 31, 2019, 20 wildlife collisions were documented within the area, with 14 being deer.

Coun. Randy Donauer also proposed a separate motion to increase the speed limit on Marquis Drive between Idylwyld Drive and Highway 16. The motion was deemed ineligible.