Photo courtesy of Bob Schneider

By Scott Roblin

Speed Changes

Speed zones for two Box Springs area roads set to change on Wednesday

Jul 29, 2019 | 5:54 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Speed changes are coming this week to two of Medicine Hat’s most well used roads in the Box Springs area.

After a review by the City of Medicine Hat, the Box Springs Road Northwest and Broadway Avenue Northwest corridors will see new posted speeds on Wednesday.

“We did an engineering review of the road conditions,” said Medicine Hat’s manager of engineering Nowakowski. “We looked at things like the lane configuration, the number of curves in the road, the number of access points, intersections. We also looked at the vehicle volumes and the types of vehicles that used those roads.”

Box Springs Road Northwest from the Trans-Canada Highway to just north of the Methanex access will jump by 10 kilometres per hour to 60 kilometres per hour.

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Nowakowski said this was to make a smoother transition for drivers coming off other roads in the area that are at higher speeds.

“You don’t want to have several speeds along a roadway, have a change from 50 to 80 back down to 50 [kilometres per hour],” he said. “So, it makes sense to take it up to 60 kilometres per hour along that entire stretch.”

While one road will see an increased speed limit, Broadway Avenue’s maximum speed meanwhile will be decreased.

Signage on Broadway Avenue will be lowered from 80 kilometres per hour down to 70 kilometres per hour, which Nowakowski said is in the hopes of bringing it more in line with nearby thoroughfares.

“It’s a similar road to like a 23^rd Street Northwest or a Parkview Drive,” he said. “So, we brought that down to be consistent with that type of road.”

Road crews will be out during the changing of the signs, which will include establishing ‘trucks turning’ and ‘no passing’ signage near the Methanex turnoff.

The City has been conducting ongoing research into its roads over the past few years under its speed review program.

Nowakowski added they’re turning their attention to another busy area of Medicine Hat with motorists.

“Now that we’ve finished the Box Springs area, we’re going to concentrate on the downtown streets and avenues as part of the Municipal Development Plan review,” he said.

There’s is no word on how long this review of the downtown core will take place, though Nowakowski said the City isn’t leaning any way in terms of raising or lowering the speed limit.