The City of Moose Jaw is looking into traffic calming measures for downtown after the Downtown Moose Jaw Association brought forward a request to City Council on Monday evening, hoping to implement a 40 km/h speed limit in the downtown core. 

The request was for speeds to be reduced at the intersection of Main Street and Oxford Street, and the 50 km/h speed limit would resume after the intersection of Main Street and Manitoba Street East. 

The Downtown Moose Jaw Association is looking to make the speed change due to a fairly new policy, The Extension of Business for Sidewalk, Boulevard, and Parking Stall Policy.

This program allows businesses to rent parking spaces for events like pop-up patios and other events. 

Chair of the Downtown Moose Jaw Association, Jeff Anderson, spoke at City Council on Monday.

"Our board believes very strongly that in order to have the utmost success in this program, we need to do everything possible to keep our residents, our patrons and our business owners safe in Moose Jaw," says Anderson. 

He says the Downtown Moose Jaw Association believes patrons will be able to enjoy a safer experience with the lower speed limit. 

The administration has looked into other Saskatchewan cities concerning speed limits in the downtown core. The practice in most cities is a maintained speed throughout, excluding school zones, parks, and temporary construction zones. 

The cost would be minimal, mainly the purchasing of signs and installation labour. 

City council voted 5-2 in favour to have administration look into traffic calming measures with councillors Kim Robinson and Dawn Luhning opposed. City council also passed a motion to get more information from the Moose Jaw Police Service 4-3 with councillors Robinson, Luhning and Heather Eby opposed.

For more information, watch the video below: