Pedestrians and cyclists in the northern part of Saskatoon will experience a delay in having a legal crossing over CN Rail train tracks. The Saskatoon city council unanimously approved a request to CN Rail to cease blowing train whistles once a new crossing with bells, flashing lights, and gates is operational.
The city’s transportation director, Jay Magus, informed the council that the city’s inaugural pedestrian and cyclist railway crossing could be finished as soon as next week. However, the opening has been postponed as negotiations with CN Rail are ongoing to halt the train whistles at the crossing in agreement with Transport Canada.
Failure to implement the whistle prohibition would require trains to sound whistles of at least 96 decibels when approaching such crossings, as per legal requirements. The construction of the crossing aims to address the issue of unauthorized crossing of the railway tracks, as evidenced by well-trodden paths leading to the tracks along Warman Road.
Councilor Randy Donauer, representing the adjacent River Heights and Richmond Heights areas, expressed a desire to postpone the crossing’s opening despite the lengthy installation process. Donauer highlighted concerns about the disruptive nature of warning whistles disturbing residents during nighttime train passages.
According to Transport Canada regulations, trains must sound whistles of at least 96 decibels within 400 meters of ground-level pedestrian crossings until the engine reaches the crossing or if a person is observed near the tracks. Magus explained to Donauer that obtaining approval to cease mandatory whistles typically takes around three to four weeks.
Donauer emphasized the need to delay the crossing’s opening to avoid the continuous disturbance caused by train whistles near residential neighborhoods whenever a train approaches the crossing. The new crossing, exclusively designated for pedestrians and cyclists, aims to address the absence of a similar crossing along the CN tracks between 33rd Street East and 51st Street, spanning 3.5 kilometers.
Situated on Warman Road between Assiniboine Drive and 43rd Street East, the crossing will provide a legal link for residents on the east side of the tracks to access the North Industrial area on the west side. Donauer recalled a similar situation during the extension of Marquis Drive in 2018, where train whistles were ceased due to resident complaints despite the distance from the nearest residential area.
The need for the crossing arose when CN raised concerns about unauthorized track crossings, prompting Donauer to seek a solution from the city administration in early 2018. The city council allocated $500,000 for the crossing’s construction in 2019, with costs escalating to $1.65 million by 2023, necessitating additional approval. The crossing will adhere to Transport Canada standards by incorporating gates, bells, flashing lights, and fencing.
In a separate decision, the council unanimously supported a request to cease train whistles at the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Southern Railway track intersection with Highway 7, located just west of Saskatoon’s Parkridge neighborhood.