Saskatoon mulls lower residential speed limits

SASKATOON Saskatoon city hall seems ready to join the cities that are engaged in a difficult debate about lower speed limits on residential roads.

On Tuesday, city council’s transportation committee will consider a proposal by city administration to move forward with consideration of lower residential speed limits.

A City of Saskatoon report suggests reviews of complaints about speeding in neighbourhoods throughout Saskatoon show motorists may not actually be travelling faster or much faster than 50 km/h, Saskatoon’s default speed limit for residential roads.

“The posted speed limit may not align with current individual and neighbourhood community values, or expectations,” the report says. “Many municipalities have reduced, or are considering reducing the posted speed limit on neighbourhood streets.”

The city has conducted 40 neighbourhood traffic reviews with another 10 in progress where the most common complaint raised is speeding through neighbourhoods, the report says. As a result, the city has conducted about 500 speed reviews on residential streets.

The city sets a threshold for the share of vehicles travelling at 55 km/h to determine whether it takes action to address speeding, but in many cases, vehicle speeds do not meet that threshold.

“This perception of speeding is a result from the vehicle operating (at) speeds ‘feeling ’ too fast for residents,” the report explains.

The report also suggests the possibility of playground zones, which have been raised several times by city councillors.

If the transportation committee supports considering lower speed limits, it will be debated at council on Oct. 22. No strategy on how to proceed would be expected before next summer.