A rendering shows what the proposed digital community billboard will look like for motorists headed north on Second Avenue W.towards the Diefenbaker Bridge. (Google maps/ PA city council agenda)

By Glenn Hicks

sign of the times

Safety concerns raised about proposed digital billboard

Aug 13, 2019 | 2:15 PM

Some residents aren’t happy about last month’s Prince Albert city council decision to erect a large new digital community billboard near the intersection of 15th Street W. and Second Avenue W.

The high-visibility location has been chosen for the yet-to-be commissioned 10-feet-by-20-feet sign because of the large traffic volumes that go North and South to and from the Diefenbaker Bridge and along the East and West route. However, there are public safety concerns.

“According to a study, 16 per cent of all accidents are caused by rubbernecking, and other surveys suggest distracted driving causes an even higher percentage of accidents,” resident Andy Torchinski told paNOW. He has launched a petition, which in part, seeks signatures in objection to the location.

“It could cause accidents and I don’t think we have to wait for someone to get killed there because of a sign that’s going to be a distraction,” he said. As of late last week, Torchinski said the petition garnered about 20 signatures and he said he’d contacted city hall to be allowed to present his concerns at their next meeting.

At last month’s meeting, the majority of council voted in favour of the location for the $287,000 sign that is being funded with the million dollars being gifted to the city by Husky Energy. The city was already set to buy the property at 198 15^th Street W. to install a turning lane so this location was considered ideal. A staff report noted it would give the double-sided billboard very good sight lines from the tens of thousands of vehicles passing it each day.

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City councillor Terra Lennox-Zepp, in whose ward the sign will be erected, did not vote in favour last month, citing safety concerns.

“I have heard from a large number of members of the public who’ve told me they don’t like the idea of such a large digital billboard being placed in that particular location,” she said. “I’ve heard concerns about driver distraction and in fact we have signage up there that says it’s a high collision area.”

A rendering of how the proposed digital community billboard will look for motorists headed south on Second Avenue W. (Google maps/ PA city council agenda)

While the council decision has already been made, pending final approval, Lennox-Zepp said it was important citizens had the opportunity to raise concerns with city council especially if they were to do with public safety.

Meanwhile, Mayor Greg Dionne said he didn’t like the term ‘petition’ because there were only 20 signatures on the document being put forward by Torchinski and he reminded the public that the Husky money could not be used for general operations or fixing pot holes. Torchinski had argued these were some of the other things the money could be better used for other than a billboard.

As for the safety concerns Dionne suggested every intersection in the city was a potential risk because there was distracted driving everywhere.

“For some reason people won’t put their cellphones down so don’t blame it on one use. Our highest collision corner is Second Avenue and Marquis on top of the hill. Why is that?” he said, noting staff had concluded the intersection voted for was the best possible location.

“I’ve had as many as six or seven community signs up on that corner [15^th Street W. and Second Avenue W.] and there’s been no collisions or accidents because of signs,” Dionne said.

Dionne said the matter would be discussed again at the Aug.19 council meeting before final approval but didn’t see anything in the petition that would sway his decision.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow