Train tracks in Saskatchewan - 21 Oct 2011 Photographer unknown.

16 July 2012

Train Whistle on Highway 7 May Soon Fall Silent

Saskatoon Saskatchewan - A call to silence the train whistle at the railway crossing on Highway 7, north of 11th Street West is gaining inertia.
 
The City of Saskatoon's administration is recommending to the planning and operations committee to proceed with an application for whistle cessation at that location, after residents in the area submitted complaints to the city.
 
"There are vacant fields to the west [of the tracks] and there's some residential areas starting on the east side of the highway and that's primarily where we are getting the complaints," said Saskatoon's transportation manager Angela Gardiner.
 
If the recommendation is approved, an assessment must be conducted to determine whether or not the existing safety measures at that location satisfy Transport Canada's requirements for whistle cessation, explains a report to the committee.
 
In 2008, the city contracted an independent consultant to conduct an assessment of that railway crossing, as part of a larger evaluation project which took into account a number of train junctions throughout the city.
 
"The consultant's findings determined that, based on the cross-product of traffic and train volumes, the warning system in place is sufficient to meet Transport Canada's requirements," reads the report.
 
At the time, however, the railway crossing on Highway 7 was located outside the city limits, explained Gardiner, so it wasn't within the jurisdiction of the city to move forward with the whistle cessation.
 
Currently, the track crossing has an "active warning system" installed where flashing lights and bells warn motorists and pedestrians of an oncoming train.
 
Gardiner said if the order to proceed with whistle cessation application is given the nod of approval from council, an updated assessment will need to be conducted to determine the traffic volume information in that location.
 
In the last assessment, it was determined that approximately 11,500 vehicles travel through that area a day.
 
In addition to the updated safety assessment, Gardiner said the city will also have to enter into an agreement with the Ministry of Highways to take over the ownership of the crossing.
 
"This implies that the city will share the responsibility for all future maintenance of this crossing, including the insurance premium cost increase resulting from whistle cessation, with Canadian Pacific railway, estimated to be $500 annually."
 
The planning and operations committee is expected to meet on Tuesday.
 
Fan-Yee Suen.