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City CouncilNewsLife MattersSafetyTop Stories FacebookXLinkedinCopy URL Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald Coun. Stephen Ring takes a seat after raising concerns about school zone signage during Monday's city council meeting. Prince Albert city councillors raised a series of concerns about signage, visibility, and road safety during Monday’s council meeting, pointing to issues at major intersections, commercial areas, and school zones. Coun. Blake Edwards brought forward several questions related to signage and traffic flow, particularly along Marquis Road East and near the Lake Country Co-op leisure centre. He said residents have raised concerns about unclear directions and confusing turns in the area. “There’s not even a notification, really, when you’re heading that way, that says ‘turn here,'” Edwards said. “Otherwise you have to do a U-turn, and that’s on a busy road.” Edwards said part of the concern is that drivers are not always aware of where they are supposed to turn until it is too late, which can lead to sudden braking or last-minute lane changes. “I’m hearing danger all the time,” he said. “Somebody stopped hard because they didn’t know they had to turn, or then they carried on, and then they did a U-turn.” He added that while longer-term engineering solutions may be considered, immediate signage improvements are needed. “We need a sign,” Edwards said. “So I’m assuming there’s enough budget in there to get some signage, because that’s very important.” Other councillors echoed similar concerns, including issues with visibility and consistency of signage across the city. Coun. Dawn Kilmer said she had personally experienced confusion at one location before signage was recently installed. “I am a guilty party of turning left on that,” Kilmer said, adding that updated signage has since clarified the route and improved safety. Coun. Stephen Ring raised concerns about school zones, questioning why some high-traffic areas do not have the same level of signage as others. He pointed to Holy Cross School as one example where residents have raised concerns. “That intersection is majorly congested every morning, every noon time, and every time after school,” Ring said. “I don’t understand the rationale on that one.” Ring said residents have brought the issue forward multiple times and questioned why some schools have reduced speed zones and clear signage while others do not, despite similar traffic conditions. “I’m not sure what we’re waiting for, what has to happen, and heaven forbid something happens, but I think it’s just a bomb waiting to go off,” he said. Administration said signage requirements can vary depending on the specific layout of each school area, noting that some locations may only have signage directly in front of the school rather than across surrounding streets. Administration also said the city is working with its engineering team on a broader review of traffic flow and signage, including a proposal submitted to SGI for grant funding. Officials said the work is intended to address incorrect turns and improve safety at problem locations. The concerns raised during council reflect how smaller infrastructure decisions, such as signage placement and visibility, can have a direct impact on everyday safety for drivers and pedestrians. Tim Early of the public works department said more information will be brought forward once the review is complete and funding decisions are known. Mayor Bill Powalinsky also weighed in on the discussion, noting that signage visibility could be improved across the city. “I’ve noticed that the roundabout signs are very small compared to other municipalities,” he said, adding that clearer and more noticeable signage could help drivers navigate more safely. The discussion highlighted a range of concerns from councillors, with several calling for clearer signage and more consistent standards to improve safety across the city. arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca -Advertisement-