The Traffic Management Group focuses on initiatives that make our city, your neighbourhood and your street more liveable. Saskatoon residents have told us that they want safe and friendly neighbourhoods, free of the hazards of traffic, while maintaining easy access to their properties for vehicles. This is a difficult task to accomplish, however, we endeavour to collaborate with neighbourhoods to achieve the right balance.

Most neighbourhood traffic concerns are the result of two conditions: too much traffic, or speeding. Traffic Management employs a variety of traffic calming measures to address these concerns.

Traffic calming offers a means of resolving traffic and safety problems by using physical measures to encourage motorists to slow down, reduce collisions, enhance safety for pedestrians and reduce short-cutting.

Traffic calming is recommended for local and collector streets. Typically, traffic calming devices used by the City of Saskatoon include:

• Corner Bulbing: A curb extension that narrows the width of a roadway, providing moderate reductions in vehicle speeds and improving crossing conditions for pedestrians.
• Pedestrian Activated Signalized Crosswalks: Several intersections in Saskatoon have pedestrian activated signals to assist with safe crossings. To activate the traffic signals, pedestrians push the button on the light standard, wait for the signal to stop the flow of traffic and when safe, cross the roadway. The fine for making a U-turn at a signalized intersection is $220.00. Click here to view the Provincial Traffic Safety Act (PDF).
• Pedestrian Refuge Island:  A Pedestrian Refuge Island is a small, elevated median constructed at the centreline of the roadway which is used as a place of refuge for pedestrians crossing a wide roadway, and is a means of moderately reducing vehicle speed. Additional signage can be added to increase motorist awareness of crossing pedestrians.
• Roundabouts (visit link on the left side of page)
• Raised Intersections and Crosswalks: Crosswalks or intersections constructed at a higher elevation than the adjacent roadway(s) help to define the crosswalk area, improving motorist awareness of crossing pedestrians.
• Median Island: An elevated median constructed on the centre line of a roadway prior to an intersection is used to prevent or restrict left-turns and/or through-movements to and from intersection roadways. This device also helps to reduce traffic short-cutting and the crossing distance for pedestrians.
• Full Closure: A full closure reduces short-cutting by extending a barrier across the entire width of a roadway to restrict all motor vehicle access.
• Right-In/Right-Out Island: A raised triangular island at an intersection approach to restrict left-turns and through movements to and from the intersecting street or driveway. 
• Speed Hump: A speed hump is a raised area of roadway that deflects both the wheels and frame of a traversing vehicle. Speed humps are considered in situations where speed is significantly in excess of the legal posted limit and where other traffic calming measures are not applicable. Speed bumps and Speed humps are not the same devise. Speed bumps are often used in parking lots to reduce speed down to 10 kph and are not considered traffic calming devices.

30-second video on how to merge into traffic:

  PLAY: 5mg

PROCESS

Community Associations or Local Area Planning Committees typically initiate neighbourhood-wide traffic studies. Residents can request spot location studies. The initial step in the process is for City staff to undertake an investigation of the traffic issues, collect data and then to report the findings, along with proposals for traffic calming measures which would be most effective. These proposals are subject to appropriate public consultation prior to presentation to City Council for approval. In some areas, temporary devices may be installed for an evaluation period before any permanent measures are installed.

To request a review of neighbourhood traffic concerns, please click here.