EAST CENTRAL — A provincial traffic safety grant from collected photo speed enforcement (PSE) fine revenue is being distributed to 27 communities throughout the province, totalling $498,732.
The grants will contribute to “safer roads across Saskatchewan,” said Joe Hargrave, minister responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance. “[Photo speed enforcement] reduces speed-related collisions where it takes place and through these grants, now supports improvements to traffic safety in many other locations throughout the province as well.”
This is the first time PSE revenue has been granted outside of the programs original host cities, Saskatoon, Regina and Moose Jaw.
Grants distributed throughout east central Saskatchewan total $66,413.
Carrot River will receive $10,000 for two solar-powered wireless crosswalk lights on First Street West at First Avenue and Third Avenue.
In Codette, $3,338 will go toward digital speed signs for use on Highway 35. These signs display the speed of passing cars and collect data.
Humboldt will receive $15,000 toward permanent speed signs in school zones. Signs will be placed on Highway 5 facing west near St. Augustine School and facing east near Humboldt Public School, and on Main Street facing south near St. Dominic School.
Melfort’s $17,500 will be used for improved signage and crosswalk safety at Brunswick School. As well, the city will commission a traffic report to evaluate safety at the intersection of Stovel and Brunswick Streets, Bemister and Brunswick Streets and Bemister Avenue and Scotia Streets.
Muenster will receive $3,743 for a digital sign that displays passing cars’ speed and collects data. The sign will alternate locations between the western town entrance and College Avenue.
The RM of Nipawin will use its $6,832 to install a digital speed sign at 10th Street and School Bus Ahead signs that will alternate on roads between Highway 6 and Carrot River.
In Tisdale, a $10,000 grant will go toward the purchase and installation of digital speed signs that will alternate locations between the western approach on Highway 3 and the northern approach on Highway 35. As well, a four-way pedestrian crosswalk will be installed at 100a Street and the Memorial Park entrance.
Applications for the grants were reviewed by the PSE committee, made up of representatives from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, the ministry of justice, the ministry of highways and Infrastructure and Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI).
“The principal behind [PSE] is that any revenue generated by photo speed enforcement is invested back into traffic safety initiatives,” after spending for the program itself, said Tyler McMurchy, media relations manager with SGI.
PSE began its pilot run in 2014 as a project “to help reduce speed-related fatalities, injuries and collisions in the province,” said McMurchy
The program was made permanent in September 2018 after the provincial government concluded that PSE calmed speed and reduced the number of speed-related collisions and injuries in high-risk areas.
