Transit and fire opposed to more speed humps Councillor vows to continue fight to add them where speeding a problem
A Saskatoon city councillor intends to keep pushing for speed humps to slow down motorists, despite a report that rejects the use of such physical impediments.
A report to be considered by city council’s transportation committee on Tuesday shows a survey of emergency services, Saskatoon Transit and city road maintenance staff identified opposition to such measures.
Coun. Zach Jeffries said he will still push for a pilot project and thinks he has enough support on council to move forward.
“That doesn’t change the opinion that I have that this is something worth thinking about,” he said. “It’s something I will continue to pursue.”
Jeffries said speed humps are wider than the speed bumps found in mall parking lots, noting people tend to confuse them. Speed humps would also only be used where speeding has proven to be a consistent problem, he added.
According to the report, the transit and fire departments oppose most of the seven options — ranging from speed humps to raised crosswalks to raised intersections — presented in the survey.
Saskatoon Transit’s responses indicated concern that its lower buses, designed to accommodate wheelchairs, would be damaged. The fire department expressed similar concerns, along with the possibility of reduced response times to emergencies.
MD Ambulance also expressed concern about the potential for slower response times, as did city police.
The police tended to support the use of speed humps and raised crosswalks, but added that their widespread use could reduce the “sensitivity” of drivers. Police also said humps could cause motorists to increase their speed between them.
The city’s road maintenance department opposes most impediments because they make snow removal difficult.
The city’s director of transportation, Angela Gardiner, noted speed humps are already in place along three roadways; Saskatoon also has one raised crosswalk, and a raised intersection on Spadina Crescent in front of the Delta Bessborough hotel.
People do not want speed humps in front of their homes because of the noise and vibrations, Gardiner said. “We actually have had requests to remove the ones we already do have.”
The city plans to buy 10 more speed radar boards in 2017 to display an oncoming vehicle’s velocity to help curb speeding, Gardiner said.