Two main roads on the south side of Swift Current will become a lot safer for drivers and pedestrians after the construction that begins today. 

The City of Swift Current will start installing traffic lights on Gladstone Street East and 2nd Avenue Southeast as of this morning.

Mayor Al Bridal is excited for the relief it will bring to the community, making a tricky intersection much safer for residents.

"When it costs you no money and you can be safer, and it makes your life better ... I don't think there's anything negative about this story," he said. "It's a win - win because it's not going to cost the taxpayer of Swift Current much, and we're going to have a lot more safety over there."

The improvement has been made possible through SGI's Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grant which gifted Swift Current $100,000 to go towards the project, leaving only $15,000 for the City to come up with.

Existing stop signs will be replaced with traffic lights and pedestrian devices, which will take approximately three weeks of work conducted in stages. 

While two-way traffic will be maintained as much as possible during construction, temporary lane and road closures may be required periodically. Traffic control and detours will be in place when necessary.

"It'll be great to have a set of lights especially with our new Plewis Automotive Inclusive Park just down the street, it's been seeing a lot of community members going there with their children," Mayor Bridal added. "And we've got the south side pool over there too, which always gets busy in the summertime. It's just going to make it a lot safer for everyone."