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(Image Credit: Alyssa Rudolph/ battlefordsNOW)
ROAD SAFETY

Residents call for stop signs as Battleford examines traffic concerns

Jun 4, 2026 | 6:00 AM

Speeding and the misuse of traffic signs are among the biggest concerns facing Battleford town council this spring.

One area drawing particular concern is the stretch of 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue between 22nd Street and 12th Street.

“I think it’s probably one of the areas where we get the most complaints about speeding traffic,” said Mayor Ames Leslie. “Traditionally, avenues don’t have stop signs. At most, they have yield signs, as avenues are designed to move traffic through communities.”

A resident recently asked the town to replace the existing yield signs in the area with stop signs, citing safety concerns following the installation of new sidewalks. The submission noted increased pedestrian traffic, including children travelling to and from school, families using the neighbourhood for recreation and residents accessing amenities such as the pump track.

Administration has recommended a traffic study to assess conditions and determine whether increased enforcement could address the concerns before changes are made to traffic controls.

Leslie said traffic concerns tend to come in waves, with spring and summer typically being the busiest times.

“We get some enforcement and things slow down, and then it picks up again. The ball tournaments and slow-pitch start, so the speeding seems to increase in our community. That’s where we’re hoping maybe enforcement can address it first before we go for those mechanical types of changes.”

A similar study was recently completed near the post office intersection, where the town’s public safety officer documented nearly 1,800 passing vehicles.

“Unfortunately, there’s too high of a percentage of people who are exceeding the speed limit when they’re going down that portion of the road,” Leslie said. “So we’ve gotten some demands and some feedback from residents asking to put more stop signs along that corridor.”

The results of the upcoming study will be brought back to council for further discussion once a sufficient sample size has been collected.

Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com