A plan has been proposed that could see major changes to traffic flow along Highway 52 in the community of Mitchell.

Manitoba Infrastructure is working on a plan which could see traffic lights at the intersection of Centre Street North and at the intersection of Ash Street. Both of those intersections could also get pedestrian crossings. Manitoba Infrastructure is also considering closing the median at Ash Street, not allowing traffic to turn left onto Highway 52.

Hanover Reeve Stan Toews says municipal staff and the Local Urban District committee of Mitchell met with Manitoba Infrastructure to discuss this plan. Toews says if the LUD committee likes the plan, it will recommend Hanover council adopt Manitoba Infrastructure's Access Management Plan.

According to Toews, the province has said the work could happen already before the end of 2019. He says it is his understanding that most of the work would be paid for by Manitoba Infrastructure.

But, there is also a three year plan on the table. That plan calls for the permanent closure of Rosedale Drive, Willow Street and Lilac Avenue at Highway 52. The plan would see a third set of traffic lights installed, this one along Highway 52 at Peters Lane. Other highlights include realigning Centre Street South with Centre Street North and then closing the current Centre Street South access onto Highway 52. Other parts of the plan are to add a third lane of traffic on both sides of Highway 52 within Mitchell, realign the service road at Peters Lane and add a passing lane at Road 30E, for traffic heading west.

Toews says if these plans go through, motorists will have to get used to the changes. However, he says it will hopefully improve traffic flow and safety.

"There are people trying to cross over the highway this way and that," says Toews. "Especially pedestrians, it's very difficult and actually dangerous for kids to try to cross the highway."

Last July, Hanover council threw its support behind a request by the Mitchell Middle School, which asked for improvements at Highway 52 and Ash Street. Principal Andrew Mead suggested either a crosswalk be built there, traffic lights installed or a reduced speed limit.

At that time, Toews said Hanover had made multiple requests over the years for safety improvements in Mitchell, but was always denied.

According to the Mitchell Middle School handbook, students living south of Highway 52 are advised to take the bus to school. If students opt to walk or ride their bicycles, the school asks for them to be supervised by an adult. Mead said in 2018, it was only a matter of when, not if, a major accident would happen along Highway 52 in their community.