Wednesday, November 29, 2023 Vol. 46, No. 48
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Stop signs discussed by Viking Council Police chief gives reasons not to take them out Patricia Harcourt Editor
Viking Council spent time talking possible stop sign removals at the Nov. 20 council meeting but made no firm decisions. Council voted on different stop sign locations including the four-way stops on main street. But Mayor Jamie Buttner later declared after the meeting that no official decisions have been made on this issue. “There were votes taken on individual stop signs but no motion was passed at the end of the discussion,” he said, explaining that the straw polling was done to get the opinion of the councillors. He added that the public would likely be asked to put in their own ideas on the subject before any decisions are finalized. Included was a letter from Viking RCMP Commander Cpl. Ryan Doucette discussing the issue from a police perspective. At the meeting, council appeared to have a consensus on the removal of north/south stop signs at two intersections on main street. These included the intersections where the post office is located (just to the west), and the north/south signs at the credit union corner. Council agreed that the two north/south signs at 50th Street and Railway Avenue (also known as S.H. 619) should remain as there is a mandatory stop necessary before entering a highway. But there was potential for the stop signs going east and west to be removed to make the 619 a through street. It was also agreed in the polling to keep the stop signs at the J&L corner as this is a busy street for traffic and kids going to and from school. Those two corners on main where stop signs weren’t wanted would still keep the side street signs for entering main street. Council also discussed the three-way stops at Eastview Park and along the north/south road to the Carena, and other streets and avenues in other
parts of town. While there was no consensus on these, Mayor Buttner didn’t think changes at the Eastview 3-way stop was a good idea. It could be hazardous with a playground and RV park there where children play. “The slower the traffic the better,” he said, in that location. Viking Council had met with Viking Detachment Commander Cpl. Ryan Doucette on Oct. 25 regarding his traffic related concerns. He followed up with a letter to CAO Doug Lefsrud, stating he wanted to highlight certain areas of interest he hoped council would consider if they haven’t done up to that time. He pointed to an article in the local paper which outlined councillor concerns and support regarding the stop sign issue. One reason given for removing stop signs was to remove the current perceived hindrance to traffic flow. “I have been unable, at present, to locate any
complaints made to the Viking RCMP regarding the state of traffic flow within the town limits,” said Doucette. “Furthermore I have observed quite the opposite and that traffic does in most instances flow very well within the town limits.” He did agree, however, that the stop signs at the J&L corner should remain as “this is a primary area of road crossing for many of the town’s youth both going and leaving the Viking School.” Doucette also said removing north/south signs could affect traffic flow at signs running east and west. “As the removal of traffic control devices will create flow in one direction, it will by it’s very nature create the opposite effect in the opposing directions,” he said. “As such this motion has the potential to worsen traffic flow within this roadway.” And once the stop signs are removed on main Continued on Page 3