Province rules out traffic lights on Highway 1 near Pilot Butte

The province has ruled out traffic lights along a stretch of highway east of Regina where two people were killed in a crash on Wednesday. 

Two vehicles collided at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 624 East near Pilot Butte. 

• Poll: How to make Highway 1 east of Regina safer

Joel Cherry, spokesperson for the ministry of highways and infrastructure, said several measures have already been put in place, but lights were ruled out.

Cherry said the province has commissioned studies over the years, including an engineering study in 2011, to look at potentially putting traffic signals on the stretch of road. 

"In all cases the studies have recommended that would not be a good option," he said. 'In part that's because it's a high speed corridor, and when you have traffic starting and stopping that way it could actually increase the number of collisions in the form of rear enders."

Other measures put in place, overpasses coming

Over the past four years several other measures were put in place including:

• Exit ramps off of Highway 1 and onto Highways 46 and 48.
• Improved lighting, including at the overpass at Highway 10 at Balgonie.
• Increased signage warning it's a high collision location. 
• Reducing the speed limit from 110 km/h to 90 km/h and bringing in automated speed enforcement. 

Cherry added the speed limit has also been reduced on Highway 12 north of Saskatoon, another high volume stretch that carries commuters from bedroom communities to the city.

In the next four years, drivers will also see a series of overpasses east of Regina. The engineering work starts soon, but the entire project won't be done until 2019. 

Overpasses will be built at Tower Road, the Pilot Butte access, Highway 48 and Highway 46.