Citizens voice concerns over intersection of 9th Ave NW and Trans-Canada Highway

Moose Jaw residents and affected stakeholders had the opportunity to voice their opinions about the potential of safety enhancements at the intersection of 9th Avenue NW and the Trans-Canada Highway during a Town Hall held at the Moose Jaw Events Centre Thursday night.

There have been many fatal and serious accidents at the intersection over the years.

Comments made during the meeting were recorded and will be provided to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways for consideration.

Mayor Clive Tolley opened the meeting by reiterating the fact that the province has undertaken a corridor study of the highway around Moose Jaw with the results set to be released on December 14.

He noted the goal of the Town Hall was not to undermine the work that the province has done but to add additional input to the process.

"I think an overpass is the ultimate solution there and also at Thatcher East and the [Trans-Canada] Highway. My personal thinking was that those are very expensive projects and the province perhaps was shying away from that obvious solution because of the cost and so I thought probably traffic lights at 9th and perhaps also at Thatcher and the Number 1 Highway would be a temporary solution. A way to have people go through those intersections more safely while we convince the provincial government and perhaps apply for some federal funding for the more costly overpasses. I'm very encouraged by the fact that slowing the traffic down has reduced accidents and particularly reduced the impact of the accidents. They're much more of a minor accident, that people aren't getting killed there because there's a lot less speed. I find that encouraging. Personally, I'd like to see us put traffic lights there and then work towards a more permanent solution of an overpass. That's just my personal view."

City Manager Jim Puffalt noted that Highway 1 is a provincial responsibility under the Urban Highway Connector Program and while traffic lights would likely cost less than a million dollars, long-term an overpass may cost up to $50 million and the city doesn't want to get involved in that.

Moose Jaw Fire Chief Rod Montgomery said now that the speed has been reduced to 80 km/h, there haven't been as many accidents and the ones that do occur are less serious. He added anytime you cross a highway, it's going to be problematic and traffic lights wouldn't necessarily solve the problem.

"There will still be accidents," he commented. "Lights in itself won't solve the problem. I think it's a bigger issue. This is just my own personal opinion from personal experiences and certainly anytime you can use an overpass I think that's the best solution."

Moose Jaw Fire Chief Rod Montgomery

Montgomery adds the broader focus has to be the whole corridor from the landfill all the way to 9th Avenue NW.

The Moose Jaw Police service was also represented at the meeting. Deputy Chief Rick Johns talked about the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program established back in 2016, which includes increased signage advising of a speed reduction to 80 km/h. Speed cameras have also been set up in the area. Johns says there hasn't been a fatal collision at the intersection since the ASE program came into effect. Staff Sergeant Taylor Elder also provided some interesting stats. He revealed that between January 25, 2020 and November 29, 2022 there has been 5,779,000 vehicles that have passed through the intersection of 9th Ave NW and the Trans-Canada Highway east and west. The average speed is actually below the speed limit, clocking in at 73.72 km/h. The highest speed was recorded in August of 2020 at 186 km/h.

"I would echo what the fire chief mentioned," commented Elder. "Lights isn't going to solve it. We're going to have some other issues going through that intersection but obviously, the increased signage with the photo radar and the deterrents of the cameras in that intersection has decreased the severity of the accidents we've been to."

Elder added that it's difficult to track stats at the intersection because a lot of the time the collision involves an out-of-province plate which means they have to attend no matter the severity of the collision.

The business community was also in attendance Thursday night. Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce CEO Rob Clark says the board supports the growing voice of putting up traffic lights.

City Councillor Jamey Logan also spoke on behalf of the business community.

"We have a business right kitty-corner to that intersection, trucks pulling trailers. We recommend to our staff to take the Main Street exit if possible when they're heading westbound just because it is dangerous to cross and it really makes us nervous for the safety of our staff. Personally, I live right close to that as well and if we have to head westbound, or cross to the service road, we also make that choice to take the Main Street overpass."

Logan says an overpass would be the ideal solution but he would be happy with traffic lights at this point.

Concerned citizen Lew Young explained why it was important for him to attend the Town Hall.

"My aunt and uncle were killed at that intersection in 2006. Anything that has to do with that intersection is very important to our immediate family and also our extended family that way too. That was the reason to be here tonight," he said. "Having an overpass would probably be the best thing but that is costly. But to be able to pause and to think about expenses, lights would be important. To be able to see something like that, to give it a try at least."

Young talked about his experience travelling cross country.

"When you go from Winnipeg to Calgary, that's mainly the Trans-Canada that we use all the time. It's not uncommon to have traffic lights at some of the major intersections there. You become aware of that and you know that."

Dennis Zerr is a proponent of an overpass

Fellow Moose Javian Dennis Zerr also voiced his concerns.

"That intersection has been a problem for decades and I've lost friends at that intersection," he said. "Continual accidents and it just seems as though people sit back and haven't really done much about it. You look at this province and you look at the number of trucks that pound down that Number 1 Highway. You look at the work that they've done in Regina with the overpasses. You look at all the dangerous intersections at Pilot Butte, White City, Emerald Park. They've fixed them with overpasses. We need something done here too because although we've seen them reduce the speed it doesn't solve the problem. I'm a proponent of the overpass. We have Thatcher East and we have 9th Ave NW. There has to be a long-range plan in place to fix these."

The City of Moose Jaw will be posting the Town Hall online for those that were unable to attend.