Saskatoon councillor advocating for review of Circle Drive East barriers

A city councillor is speaking out on the need for barriers along a deadly stretch of freeway in Saskatoon.

Two fatal crashes have taken place on Circle Drive East, between 108th Street and Attridge Drive, in the last six months.

Both incidents involved head-on collisions caused by a vehicle crossing over the ditch separating north and south-bound traffic.

Ward 9 Coun. Bev Dubois told 650 CKOM she’s heard from many residents who feel barricades may be a solution.

“We need to look at what will save lives on that stretch of the road,” Dubois said. “When you’re saving lives, I don’t think that’s wasting money.”

Saskatoon’s Director of Transportation, Angela Gardiner, told media Thursday it would cost $500,000 for barriers on that stretch of Circle Drive.

She said a 2016 review determined barriers were not needed along Circle Drive near Attridge – adding barricades aren’t a requirement from Transportation Canada.

The city also said it would look into the matter again, pending the outcome of a police investigation into a crash that killed a 34-year-old man Wednesday.

“I’m really going to be pushing for another review,” Dubois said. “We can’t have deaths on that stretch of the freeway.”

The councillor noted there have been 71 crashes in that area in the last five years.

“That’s a lot and some of them are resulting in deaths,” she said.

A three-vehicle collision on the same stretch of Circle Drive East claimed the life of a 70-year-old man on Sept. 7, 2016.