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M.L. Council opts for internal traffic study

Feb 13, 2018 | 2:00 PM

After weighing options, city administration and council voted unanimously to examine Meadow Lake’s traffic flow through an internal study.

The motion to begin the study passed at the Feb. 12 council meeting, though the idea of a traffic study was initially discussed in late 2017, after public concerns about an uncontrolled intersection on the city’s south end were brought to council’s attention. When the study was first suggested, city manager Diana Burton said intersections controlled by yield signs are governed by the Traffic Bylaw, which can be amended at the direction of council. However, her recommendation was to conduct a thorough traffic study rather than add one intersection to the bylaw.

“Administration’s concern is making one-off decisions rather than having a plan and a justification for it,” Burton said at a Dec. 11 council meeting.  

The city’s engineering department gathered quotes from three consultation companies, and were cited costs between $20,000 and $37,000. The price of an informal study by city staff was found to be significantly less, ranging between $1,250 to $5,600 for equipment plus staff time, and the information would be compiled using traffic counters and collision history information from SGI.

Burton said the study will allow for a thoughtful look at areas of concern by focussing on 10 – 15 intersections throughout the city.

“It [will] allow for data collection at intersections reported by residents as being higher risk,” she said. It will allow the city to make more informed decisions about the need for traffic control devices at specific locations.”

Coun. Curtis Paylor said it’s important that the issue is examined.

“It’s never a bad thing to look at things,” he said. “Rather than spend a whole bunch of money, I think we should do it internally.”

 

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca  

On Twitter @ReporterKath