'Miscommunication' over north end school zone causing confusion

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Donauer said that “miscommunication,” combined with students heading back to their classrooms this fall, led some residents to call him, asking if or when the signs would come down.

“I wish it would get done this summer,” said Donauer, who is seeking a third term on council in the Nov. 9 municipal election. “I think the mandate is there. (But) I do have to be reasonable and realize that the budget is only so big,” he added.

The report lists pedestrian safety devices as medium-term improvements, meaning they are expected to be installed within three to five years. The Lenore Drive crossing was not funded for 2020-21.

Now, city hall is clarifying the issue.

In an emailed statement, senior transportation engineer Nathalie Baudais said pedestrian devices are prioritized based on traffic volumes and the date the analysis was carried out.

“All pedestrian devices funded for installation in 2020-21 had higher traffic volumes than the Lenore Drive location,” she said.

City hall plans to spend $200,000 each on pedestrian crossing devices in 2020 and 2021. Donauer acknowledged that it makes sense to wait to remove the school zone for safety reasons until the new crossing is in place.

Saskatoon police are still handing out tickets to drivers caught speeding through the 30 kilometre per hour zone, which came back into force on Sept. 1.

Police handed out 84 tickets in the school zone last year, and said Friday that seven tickets have been issued since council voted to approve the recommendations in late March.

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