Traffic data from Broadway Avenue South between Matilda Street and Melfort Street shows the majority of drivers speed when going through the stretch of road.
The speed on the street is 30 kilometres per hour between 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. due to its proximity to a school and playground zone, and 40 kilometres the rest of the time.
Data shows that while the majority of traffic use the road during 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 46.5 per cent of drivers go between 33 to 40 kilometres per hour, and 19.2 per cent of drivers go above 40 kilometres.
A total of 34.3 per cent of drivers go between one to 32 kilometres per hour.
The report was provided to the City of Melfort by traffic consultant Mike Lycka with MSL Traffic and Instrumentation, who used traffic tubes placed along the stretch of road from April 16 to 27.
The average speed of the route is 35 kilometres per hour.
Adam Homes, Melfort’s city manager, said the study was conducted after members of the community reported issues with speeding and excessive heavy truck use.
“There’s quite a few that are within the 33 to 40 range, so order of magnitude there, and then the rest are over the 40 mark,” Homes said.
“Just a fraction of them are before 8 a.m.”
Traffic volumes ranged from a low daily use of 1,654 to a high of 2,794 vehicles on the roadway in a 24-hour period.
Glenn George, Melfort’s mayor, said that they weren’t surprised that there were drivers going over 30 kilometers, but were surprised by the high percentage.
“The fact that people were speeding didn’t surprise me because people speed everywhere in Melfort,” George said. “That’s been a big bugbear of mine for a long time.”
The city has shared the data with the RCMP along with a request to monitor the school and playground zone.
The road is planned to be partially closed for water main replacement during August and September.
Homes said the road is set for reconstruction next year. Possible options the city will be looking into include raised crosswalks and speed humps.
The city is applying to SGI for funding to purchase digital radar signs.
“There’s one on Shadd [Drive] that tells you how fast you’re going and alerts the drivers,” Homes said. “People do typically slow down when they see those.”
Jessica R. Durling, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Humboldt Journal