Comprehensive Transportation Study Idea Nixed
A comprehensive regional transportartion study done for Weyburn had one City Councillor asking why such a study could not be done for Moose Jaw and area.
Councillor Crystal Froese said the study conducted by the Department of Highways and Transportation would be useful for the City and the RM of Moose Jaw to have because of the potential upcoming growth.
The Weyburn study – completed in November 2019 – was based upon traffic data collection, speed studies, collision data, speed transitions within the community and area plus the location of the hospital, schools as well as rail lines.
“The final document recommended intersection improvements, options, truck routes and brought forward short term, medium term and long term recommendations,” she said.
Moose Jaw's potential growth from proposed industrial development would benefit from such a study, Councillor Froese said.
“It was very comprehensive and I think our City and RM since we are trying to move forward with a growth phase, we have SaskPower coming and this would be beneficial for our planning and engineering departments to have.”
RELATED READING - Weyburn's Transportation Study
A page from the Weyburn study showing future growth - source Government of Saskatchewan
Councillor Heather Eby was wary of the cost of the study, saying she had the same concerns Councillor Brian Swanson had voiced in an earlier discussion regarding funding for the Downtown Local Area Plan, since it came after the 2020 Operating Budget had been approved.
“These sort of initiatives should come forward at budget allocation time…and when they come after the budget is done where is the money coming from?” Councillor Eby asked.
Councillor Froese said the cost would be $8,000 but such a study would first need to be vetted by the Ministry as well as the RM of Moose Jaw would have to come on board so it was unlikely anything would be done until the 2021 Budget.
“It is more exploring the partnership with the Ministry at this point,” she said.
Councillor Chris Warren questioned not only the overall value and priority of a comprehensive report but whether the Engineering Department did not already have too much work on its plate at the present time given the outstanding initiatives they were already tasked with.
“What type of resources would be necessary to contribute to this sort of an analysis?” Councillor Warren asked.
City manager Jim Puffalt said setting up a study with the Ministry would not happen overnight.
“I can tell you any type of negotiation with the Department of Highways takes years to accomplish. And it would start with a letter and go from there,” Puffalt said.
City engineer Josh Mickleborough said the City does have a Transportation Master Plan but the plan was “dated”.
The City has approached the Department about updating the plan through a cost sharing proposal but “I don’t know off the top of my head how receptive they were to that,” Mickleborough stated.
Mickleborough stated he did not know the full background behind Weyburn's study.
Councillor Eby said “Weyburn is a much different animal than we are down in the oil country. They have lots and lots of heavy truck traffic…it’s a whole different ball game than they have here.”
“I am just not sure if it will help or hinder what we have going on and as the director (Mickleborough) said perhaps a Master Transportation Plan is more what we could use,” she said.
In documents obtained by MJ Independent through an anonymous source at City Hall the Engineering Department put out a proposed Transportation Master Plan in 2011 which was a comprehensive look into the city's future transportation needs.
The plan foresaw a Moose Jaw with a population of 80,000 people in 2050 with large residential development in the northeast side of the city.
The plan envisioned and contained at least two new cloverleaf intersections for the TransCanada Highway in streets which today are still gravel roads.
Considerable City resources had gone into creating the “visionary master plan but it died with the economic boom,” the source told MJ Independent.
In a 4 – 3 vote with Councillors Dawn Luhning, Brian Swanson, Warren and Eby opposed and Mayor Fraser Tolmie and Councillors Scott McMann and Froese in favour the initiative failed.