The Mayor of Ritchot says 'patience' is the word of the day, as motorists drive through St.Adolphe.

Jackie Hunt is referring to a number of traffic safety measures that are being implemented in that community. She says they are working in collaboration with the province, in response to recent and future growth in that community.

Hunt says one measure that has already happened is that there is now a four way stop at the intersection of Provincial Roads 200 and 210. Prior to now, there were only stop signs for traffic headed down PR 210. But Hunt says traffic counts warranted the four way stop.

"We've had a number of close calls and accidents over the years at that intersection," says Hunt.

She notes that is a busy intersection and traffic would often back up as motorists waited for an opportunity to drive across.

"Because there was very few breaks to get through, people got frustrated and sometimes people take risks and accidents happen as a result," says Hunt.

She notes the extra stop signs were put up earlier this month, and though there will be a learning curve she thinks motorists are getting the hang of it.

Another safety measure that should be felt this spring is a change in speed limit entering the community. Hunt says she met with the Highway Traffic Board earlier this winter and pleaded their case. They have been approved and new signs should go up this spring. The speed limit along PR 210 coming into St.Adolphe from the east will drop to 70 kilometres per hour, while on PR 200 north of St.Adolphe, speed reduction signs will be moved so that traffic is driving slower within town limits.

And finally, Hunt says it is part of Manitoba Infrastructure's five year plan for a traffic circle at the PR 200 and 210 intersection.

Hunt says these safety measures were not merely thought up by council.

"We were seeing and hearing from ratepayers something needs to be done," she says. "The safety of families and children walking from the north of the community, it's a new growing side of the town, it just wasn't safe for passage. So this is something we thought was necessary."