The Manitoba Highway Traffic Board held a hearing Tuesday into Steinbach's request for a speed reduction on Highway #52 in the vicinity of Industrial Road. Troy Warkentin, the city's Chief Administrative Officer, attended the hearing and reported to city council Tuesday night. He says the recommendation from Manitoba Infrastructure is for a speed reduction, but not as much as the city had asked for.

"City council's resolution was to request a 50 kilometre per hour zone in that area, generally. However, in light of the province's decision to proceed with the installation of traffic signals at the intersection of Industrial Road and PTH #52 West, the recommendation from the province is to lower that speed zone from the current 80 kilometres per hour to 70 kilometres per hour."

Warkentin says under the proposal, the 70 zone would begin just east of Lund Road and continue to a point 200 metres west of Industrial Road, then increase to 80 to a point just west of Keating Road where it would then increase to 100.

Warkentin says the Highway Traffic Board is expected to issue its decision on the matter within the next 30 days or so.

Mayor Chris Goertzen is encouraged that the Highway Traffic Board is moving ahead on this file.

"We heard clearly that they do want to see the speed reduced there and altered. Although it's not exactly what the city requested because there is new information in regards to the lights going in there, we are encouraged that they (Manitoba Infrastructure) do want to see a reduction in speed along that stretch of highway. Obviously, we want that to be a safe area and we appreciate seeing that hearing moving forward. We look forward to hearing what the Highway Traffic Board has to say."