North Battleford council at this week's meeting. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Safer community

City approved for funding for 100th Street lighted crosswalk

Jan 9, 2024 | 7:49 AM

There’s good news for pedestrians trying to get across 17th Avenue on busy 100th Street.

The City of North Battleford confirmed it has been approved for provincial funding for a new crosswalk equipped with flashing lights at this location.

City Manager Randy Patrick gave an update on the project at Monday’s council meeting.

The project’s estimated cost is $190,000. The province through SGI’s Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grant has committed to $100,000 of that amount.

“It’s exactly what we predicted in the [city’s] budget,” Patrick said. “We were happy to get that money. There is a letter coming to council probably in the next council meeting with that formally stated.”

Sounding the alarm

Sask. NDP highlights red flags on Sask. Party platform

8h ago

National

Bill Vigars, campaign manager for Terry Fox Marathon of Hope, dies at 78

13h ago

Riders win

Saskatchewan clinch home playoff game, dismantle Lions

14h ago

The city will put in the remaining $90,000, close to 50 per cent of the total cost.

“It’s great with SGI helping the city, keeping the city safe,” Mayor David Gillan said.

The province announced Monday that a total of 59 communities in Saskatchewan will be awarded Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grants, with 62 projects, totalling nearly $1.3 million.

Many youths cross the 100 Street intersection in North Battleford to access area restaurants during the day, so safety is an issue.

“It’s amazing when you watch how many high school students cross there,” Patrick said. “It’s busy.”

The crosswalk project was included in the city’s 2024 budget.

Gillan noted with double lanes of traffic going each way, the location warranted the crosswalk.

“One car might stop and the other might not know why because they still can’t see the pedestrian [on the road], and they keep going,” he said. “You can imagine what kind of [risk] that is. We’re trying to prevent those sorts of accidents. We want people to cross the road safely. We don’t want people jaywalking, running between the corners. We try to make it easier to get across the street safely.”

The crosswalk with flashing lights will likely be installed in the spring. The project will need to go to tender first.

“It will [be done] sometime this construction year in 2024,” Gillan said. “I would call it important. It’s highly visible, and it’s going to have an immediate benefit to the city.”

The maximum amount of funding municipalities could be approved for in the province’s grant is $100,000, so the city was fortunate to get the amount allotted.

“It just goes to show they were happy to make that investment,” Gillan said. “When we made that application, they really understood how important it was.”

—

Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsnow