Saskatoon eyes speed limits slower than 50 km/h for neighbourhood streets

Saskatoon city administration wants city councillors' permission to look at whether to lower the posted speed limit on neighbourhood streets to below the current speed of 50 kilometres per hour.

City administration says in a new report to city council that the move would increase pedestrian safety and reflect reduced speed limits in other Canadian and American cities.

No specific new speed is being recommended yet, but the city says "travelling at 30 kilometres per hour instead of 50 kilometres per hour on the neighbourhood street portion of [a] commute would add less than a minute to the average travel time."

In another section of the report says that "by lowering the speed limit from 50 kilometres per hour to 40 kilometres per hour, the survival rate [for pedestrians and cyclists involved in a collision] would improve by 40 per cent."

Speeding a 'major concern' in neighbourhoods

The report points to other cities like Toronto that have lowered the speed limits in some neighbourhoods to as low as 30 kilometres an hour.

It also says administration has been speaking to neighborhood groups since 2013 and that "the major concern raised by residents is vehicles speeding on neighbourhood streets."

City councillors will hear the pitch for a review Tuesday. The review would also look at reduced speeds for school playground zones.

The review would not look at reducing speeds on arterial roads such as Eighth Street, Taylor Street, Clarence Avenue or 22nd Street.