Saskatoon considers adding 4 new photo radar cameras by end of year

Drivers with a lead foot in Saskatoon might want to watch how fast they're driving this year.

City administration is recommending the city add two photo radar cameras to its rotating fleet by the end of March, with another two by the end of September.

Right now, one camera rotates among five school zone locations, while another rotates among high speed intersections on Circle Drive. The new plan would mean a total of six cameras would be operating in the city.

The new plan would also add an additional eight photo radar locations onto the rotation in school zones around the city by the end of September.

The city would need to apply to provincial insurance company SGI for the right to operate the cameras.

SGI calls program a success

Last year, SGI announced it was making its photo radar program permanent after running a two-year pilot program across the province. During the program, 36,449 tickets were handed out after speeders were caught on Circle Drive, while 18,347 were handed out in Saskatoon school zones.

SGI called the program a success, stating speeding and collisions in areas were lower where photo radar was enforced.

The new cameras and locations would be paid for using the money raised through photo radar tickets through a provincial grant program.

City Hall is also recommending the province apply to the Provincial Traffic Safety Fund to install an improved pedestrian crossing in the city.

During the pilot program, the City received around $613,000 per year from the provincial program. The money was used for traffic safety initiatives.

After the program, it's expected the city will receive $183,900 per year.

The city has until March 30 to apply to the program.

The report will by brought up at the city's Standing Policy Committee on Transportation on Monday.