Lowering the speed limits in Gardenton and Sundown

The RM of Stuartburn is trying to lower the speed limits through Gardenton and Sundown with a formal request to the province.

Highways 201 and 209 are designated provincial roads, so the RM needs permission to change anything to do with those roads. Right now, the speed limit through Sundown on the RM’s east side was lowered from 90 to 60 km/h, but Reeve Michelle Gawronsky said council would like that to be even lower at 50 km/h. The speed limit through Gardenton on the west side of Stuartburn is still 90 km/h and the request from last council meeting is to lower it to 60 km/h.

“It was the gravel trucks going through that really gave pause for concern. You get a big gravel truck coming at you, it kind of takes your breath away. And that’s when I think folks started to realize, because everybody thought the gravel trucks were speeding and then realized no, they were not,” said Gawronsky.

The reeve said most of council was not even aware the limit was 90 in Gardenton.

“It actually was a request from residents of the community,” said Gawronsky.

“We assumed because if you come in from the south side and as you cross the [209] to go north, the speed limit is 50. And yet the highway to go through the town is 90. I think it must have been an oversight, so we’re hoping the province… can get on this sooner than later.”

There are no Gardenton homes directly on Provincial Road 209, with visitors needing to turn onto a service road. But the reeve said safety is still a concern.

“We have families that have moved into the community that have young children, and I don’t want to wait until something happens to someone before this gets addressed,” said Gawronsky.

“Summertime and weekends is especially cause for concern because of folks who are coming to visit baba and dido, and grandma and grandpa… and of course with any of the festivals, there’s AC Music Festival, there’s the Gardenton (Ukrainian and Multicultural) Festival. And when the traffic is going though at that kind of a speed, it can be dangerous.”

Same goes for all the traffic headed back and forth through Sundown from places like Buffalo Point. Council also applied to get a digital sign that can show drivers how fast they are going on Provincial Road 201. Their first application was turned down, but they hope to get approved this fall.

“That’ll be a reminder to folks: please slow down,” said Gawronsky.

“I’ve witnessed vehicles going through definitely faster than 60.”

She said even in Vita people have noted that not all motorists heed the speed limits.

“Folks travelling through our hamlets, I don’t think that they understand that these are little towns. It’s not five houses of retired folks sitting in them; these are actually towns with youth and young kids and toddlers running around all over the place, and we ask folks to just be very careful,” said Gawronsky.

She added some Mennonites who use their horse and buggies are also put in danger.

“I don’t think people understand that the horse and buggy can’t get out of the way that quickly.”

Change in the bureaucracy of Manitoba takes time, and that includes deciding whether to switch out speed limit signs. Changing the speed through Sundown has been on hold for years.

“That was the previous council that put that in and we’re still waiting on an answer for that one,” said Gawronsky.