City Council passionately discussed Speed limits in Weyburn notably school zones and main arterial roads of the city, last night. The Engineering department of the City of Weyburn had been asked by the council to look at the Traffic Bylaw No. 2016-3346 and make amendment suggestions.

Nadar Keshta, Weyburn's City Engineer, presented the amendments including to introduce time restrictions on school zones and playground areas. This would mean school zones and playground areas to stay at 30 km/hr between 8 am - 6 pm and then go up to 40 km/hr outside of this time.

The other speed limit related amendment was to make Railway Avenue from 16th street to Highway 35 (Government Road) 50 km/hr.

Councillors debated the amendments.

Councillor Dick Michel stated he is unable to agree to a speed increase on Railway Avenue due to businesses along the road which could make it harder for people to back on to it.

Mayor Marcel Roy said it is the responsibility of drivers to back out correctly regardless of the speed limit.

Roy also asked Michel if he was willing to ignore the poll which had been taken by the city where the results of which showed a majority of people wanted a speed increase.

Councillor Jeff Chessall answered for Michel by saying the poll should have had more information.

"When the poll originally came out, I think that if someone were to ask you "Do you want to go faster?" you're going to say "Yes." There wasnt enough context for me there personally," explained Chessall after the meeting.

Chessall had made a comment on social media prior to the previous council meeting where the speed limit was discussed. In the post, he had raised the concern of speed limits being increased in school zones or including time restrictions could impact children's safety. He said last night during the council, since making that post, people told him if they had had more information on what the poll questions were asked they would have voted to keep speed limits the same.

Councillor Brad Wheeler asked when the speed limit in Weyburn was set at 40 km/hr but nobody including Chief Marlo Pritchard, Weyburn Police Service, was able to answer. Wheeler said there are roads like Railway Avenue, in agreement with Mayor Roy, which could easily be at 50 km/hr without affecting children's safety.

Wheeler said the bigger concern for people getting into accidents is more to do with distracted driving than speed limits. Pritchard was asked how many accidents involving pedestrians had occurred. The Chief of Police replied with around four in the time he has been in the city, over six years. One of these was in a school zone.

One of the councillors said they had been told the difference in stopping time between 30 and 40 km/h is eight metres.

After all the discussion and debate, the majority voted 5-2 to keep school zones 30 km/hr 24 hours a day, all year round and to include playgrounds. All speed limits as they are now will stay in place. However, they will be further discussed in the future if there are roads in Weyburn which could see an increase to 50 km/hr.