Group hails measures to protect swale
The Northeast Swale Watchers applaud the City of Saskatoon’s measures to try to help protect the protected ecological area, but feel they could go further.
City council’s transportation committee on Monday endorsed two initiatives aimed at addressing concerns about traffic in the Northeast Swale with the opening of a roadway in October that will connect to the new Chief Mistawasis Bridge.
The committee backed a 50-kilometre-per-hour speed limit on the four-lane roadway through the swale and the temporary closure of Lowe Road to limit traffic access to the swale.
A city report suggested Lowe Road could one day be reopened as a connector road when neighbourhoods are built north of the swale, which lies northeast of the Evergreen and Aspen Ridge neighbourhoods.
Two representatives of the Northeast Swale Watchers questioned why Lowe Road would need to be reopened.
“Once it’s interrupted, let’s make sure it stays that way,” Candace Savage told the committee.
Savage asked to see the city’s data that supports the future need to reopen Lowe.
“We know these wetland habitats are incredibly important,” Louise Jones added. “It is a real challenge to protect flora and fauna.”
The committee voted to set the speed limit at 60 km/h for the extension of Mcormond Drive between Central Avenue and Wanuskewin Road on the west side of the South Saskatchewan River.
That stretch will include the new bridge. By default, the portion of Mcormond running through the swale will be 50 km/ h.
The lower speed limit is seen as important to protect the wildlife in the swale that can include deer.
“It’s key to protecting the health of pedestrians, whether they be two-legged or four-legged or walk or hop or trot,” Savage said, noting other traffic-calming measures proposed for the road through the swale were not adopted.
Jones added the opening of the new bridge and roadways in the fall provides an opportunity for the city to show how much it appreciates the Northeast Swale.
Coun. Sarina Gersher got support for her idea to explore signage to explain the nature of the swale and the reason for the speed limit to motorists.
Coun. Zach Jeffries, who represents the area that includes the swale and the east-side roadways that will connect to the bridge, voted against the 60 km/h speed limit on the stretch that includes the bridge.
After the meetings, Jeffries explained that a 70 km/ h speed limit had been attached to that stretch of road and that a lower limit could create a speed trap.
The committee also endorsed reducing the speed limit at five other locations: Betts Avenue, from 22nd Street to Hart Road, to 50 km/h from 60 km/h; Clarence Avenue from 50 metres south of Circle Drive to Stonebridge Boulevard, to 50 from 60; Eighth Street, from Moss Avenue to a point 400 metres east of Mckercher Drive, to 50 from 60; College Drive from 800 metres east of Mcormond Drive to the east city limit, to 90 from 100; and Highway 41 from College Drive to east city limit, to 90 from 100.