City introduces traffic calming measures

Medicine Hat – The City of Medicine Hat will begin work in the coming weeks to install three new traffic calming measures as part of a pilot project to improve transportation safety and address vehicle speeding in the community.

“Lowering the speed limit is only one tool in the road safety toolkit and is not always effective in achieving a result of safe streets and safe speeds when used alone,” said Pat Bohan, Managing Director of Development and Infrastructure. “That’s when we turn to the built environment to influence driving behaviour.”

Traffic calming refers to a set of engineered measures to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and residents. The measures are strategically placed to encourage drivers to be more cautious and attentive.

The pilot will test measures specifically targeted for three separate land uses: commercial, institutional and residential. Three measures will be deployed in 2023 and one in 2024.

This summer, curb extensions will be installed downtown at the corner of Third Street SE and Fourth Avenue SE in the commercial application. This will narrow the roadway to slow traffic and reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians, making them more visible to motorists.

Next, delineators will be used to reduce the width of the roadway on Eighth Street NE near St. Francis Xavier School in the institutional application. Delineators are typically flexible posts that guide and direct traffic. They are sturdy enough to withstand vehicle impacts but bend or collapse upon contact to minimize damage to the vehicle and keep the driver safe.

On Ranchlands Boulevard, the residential application, the City will install a series of speed humps which are raised sections of road that can be driven over comfortably at low speeds. Unlike speed bumps, which have a sharper rise, speed humps are constructed with a more gradual incline, making them easier on vehicles and bicycles, and are more effective at reducing speeds while maintaining traffic flow.

In 2024, the City will install two mini-roundabouts on Eighth Street SE, one at Second Avenue SE and another at Fourth Avenue SE, in conjunction with a planned water and sewer rehabilitation project next year. A roundabout is a circular design to manage traffic flow and improve safety in an intersection by reducing the potential for severe collisions, controlling vehicles speeds, and minimizing traffic delays.

Residents can read more about the transportation safety initiatives at www.medicinehat.ca/trafficcalming.

In the 2023-2024 budget, the City set aside funds to update the Transportation Master Plan, including a Transportation Safety Strategy and an Active Transportation Strategy.

“We’re introducing these pilot measures now so that the feedback and findings can inform the development of those plans and guide our decision-making in the future,” adds Bohan.

The City of Medicine Hat follows industry standards and guidelines established by Alberta Transportation and the Transportation Association of Canada to provide a safe and efficient transportation network that suits the needs of the public including all classes of vehicles, pedestrians and multi-modal users.

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