The Cathedral neighbourhood may have its driving speed limit reduced to 30 km/hour as Regina City Council approved some recommendations.
The City of Regina considered making the Cathedral neighbourhood a community safety zone and requiring drivers to travel at 30 kilometres an hour speed limit within the area.
Sarah Cummings Truszkowski, the Regina Public School Board Chair, thinks that reducing the speed limit to 30 km/hour would benefit the busy neighbourhood, especially for the safety of pedestrians, as there have been recent fatalities involving cars hitting pedestrians on 13th Avenue.
Last April, Regina Police Service (RPS) responded to a report of a pedestrian being hit by a vehicle off 13th Avenue. Unfortunately, the young victim passed away from the injuries. Another pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of 13th Avenue and Cameron Street in December 2023, and also passed away.
Police suggested that lowering the speed limit could improve drivers’ ability to react, given that Cathedral is a bustling neighbourhood.
RPS Sgt. Shannon Gordon, from the traffic safety unit, mentioned that reducing the speed limit significantly increases the likelihood of a pedestrian surviving a collision if they are hit by a car.
Cathedral resident Stacey Simms supports the proposed change, noting that the road and pedestrian traffic in the area can be frightening based on her observations.
Stacey Simms mentioned that she always tries to drive mindfully due to the high pedestrian activity in the area, and fully supports the potential speed limit reduction.
The Cathedral neighbourhood covers a 235-hectare residential area with over 7,000 people, numerous businesses, grocery stores, schools, shops, galleries, and restaurants, resulting in heavy street and pedestrian traffic.
