Traffic Stop Clarifies Sections Of 1st Avenue NW Are One And Not Two Lanes

A traffic stop on 1st Avenue NW, between Manitoba Street and Oxford Street, had Administration clarifying whether there was one or two lanes on the northbound side of the road.

At Monday evening’s Council meeting Administration answered the question regarding the stretch of roadway.

“Both northbound and southbound 1st Avenue Northwest are single through lanes,” Administration wrote in a report to Council.

Councillor Doug Blanc said he had brought the issue up due to concerns of a citizen stopped by the police over top of the lane issue.

“The reason I brought this up was because I was approached by an individual who was pulled over by the police because he was driving down the center of 1st Avenue NW,” Councillor Blanc said, adding “and he said ‘there is only one lane’ and the police officer said "‘no there is two going north’ and they got into a debate about it. There was no ticket issued but the individual was a little bit discouraged he was pulled over and he shouldn’t have been.”

A portion of the northbound lane on 1st Avenue NW - between Manitoba Street and Oxford Street - does not have parking meters and some drivers, including transit and the Moose Jaw Police Service, have been driving the roadway.

The most recent design plan of 1st Avenue NW shows one lane going either north or south and a shared center turning lane - City of Moose Jaw

A plan to have parking meters installed on the section of roadway was presented as part of the 2021 Budget but was not approved by Council due to the expense.

The cost for the meters in the November 18, 2020 report was $24,000 with the estimated revenue coming in from the meters at $7,400 annually with a cost recovery of 3.4 years.

The response to the enquiry also stated Administration would be updating the report and recommending installing parking meters on the stretch of roadway in the 2023 Budget.

Councillor Blanc said he had investigated himself and the way the signage presently is could be confusing.

“Since then I did some enquiries and I found out there was only one lane. So I thought I should bring it forward and get a report as it is really unclear the way the signage is currently on it. Because the straight ahead arrow makes it look like it is in the one lane,” he said.

In their response Administration said Engineering Services was presently reviewing sign placement on the stretch of 1st Avenue NW to ensure it is more consistent with lane alignment.

1st Avenue NW showing the present lane alignment - MJ Independent file photo

Councillor Blanc said he could understand the reason why there is an appearance of two lanes instead of just one lane and it revolved around the lack of parking meters on stretches of the northbound lane.

“I think I understand why it is there because we turned down a proposal to have parking meters on that side.”

It should be noted until the change was made on 1st Avenue NW to the present alignment for decades both the northbound and southbound sides had two lanes.