Traffic noise fix for Spadina Crescent

I would suggest that the solution to traffic noise on Spadina Crescent is two/ three fold.

The first is one that has already been in part implemented and one that I put forward in the 25 Year Master Plan for Kinsmen Park and Area: the use of traffic circles.

We now have them at Spadina and Avenue A, Spadina and Second Avenue, and Spadina and Third Avenue. Traffic circles at the Kinsmen Play Village, Queen Street and 33rd Street would slow traffic and get rid of stop and go traffic and the related traffic noise.

Opportunity still exists at Queen Street to get it right. Tons of room exists at 33rd Street. It will take a bit of engineering to get the circle(s) at the Kinsmen Play Village and next to Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan to work, but it can be done.

Secondly, the speed limit on Spadina Crescent from Avenue H to Windsor Street should be reduced to 40 km per hour. Tied to this would be the reworking of Spadina Crescent, getting rid of the start and stop bike lanes, widening or narrowing Spadina Crescent, and providing angle/nose-in parking where possible on at least one side of the street. Part of this work would include completing the widening of the MVA trail to accommodate safe cycling and pedestrian traffic in this area.

These actions would reduce traffic noise, make Spadina Crescent and the MVA trail safer for both pedestrians and cyclists, and solve some of the parking problems.

Don Greer, Saskatoon