Parkland County residents discuss solutions for 'intersection problem' at Highway 16A with province
While Parkland County residents haven't reached a consensus on what to do about the Highway 16A-Range Road 20 intersection, they do seem to agree something should be done sooner rather than later.
That was the sentiment expressed most frequently at a town hall hosted by Alberta Transportation Tuesday evening at Carvel Hall, minutes away from the intersection being debated.
"Why not just put traffic lights on the existing intersection?" asked one attendee. "As someone who is a resident there, especially someone who's had to trailer equipment across that intersection, having a set of lights there would relieve a lot of stress."
"If we wait another week and we don't at least slow the speed limit down, if we don't take something away and be proactive from this meeting, then why are we even here?" asked another.
The department of transportation and economic corridors has said it is "actively reviewing options" for long-term changes to the intersection west of Edmonton. The town hall was called to gather public feedback.
Area residents say the frequency of serious and fatal crashes at the intersection has grown in recent decades alongside population and traffic volume.
Bryan Kwasnycia, whose 22-year-old daughter was killed in a crash at the intersection last year, and who has lived in the area for more than 40 years, told CTV News Edmonton, "Throughout those years, we've seen basically a major accident every single month. And usually a death or two every year."
He says he taught his daughter Jade and his other children how important it was to drive through the intersection carefully. Drivers have a poor line of sight because of rolling hills and road curves, and those familiar with the area report highway commuters regularly speeding 10 to 20 kilometres above the limit.
He believes straightening out the intersection and reducing the speed limit would make it safer, but also recognizes neither of those changes would inform commuters unfamiliar with the area of its danger.
"You can educate everybody in the county and Stony Plain and Spruce Grove but it's not going to fix the intersection problem," he commented during the town hall, receiving a round of applause in response.
A retired paramedic and Range Road 20 resident of 20 years also stood up to suggest building a roundabout.
"When I hear traffic lights, I think of all the different things that I've seen as a result of traffic lights. That's not, to me, right now, a solution," he said. "I would present a solution that would keep traffic flowing."
The government's leading idea – which has not yet been studied fully – is to move the intersection to a "safer" location between Range Roads 20 and 15 so that it can meet the highway in a perpendicular way. But the government is also weighing the benefits and disadvantages of installing traffic lights, speed reductions and other measures, a spokesperson told the town hall audience on Tuesday.
Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland MLA Shane Getson called the relocation option the "most elegant" in the long term.
"There may be short term measures that take place to try to mitigate some of the issues that we're seeing right now, but there's also a long term solution as well," he told the crowd.
"So these guys have to run the calcs, they have to look at the numbers, have to look at line of sights, then come up with something. But we'll take that as a takeaway… for potential interim solution."
- Petition started to change dangerous intersection west of Edmonton after fatal accident
- Falling power lines prevented rescue in fatal 2-vehicle crash west of Edmonton
- Highway 16A near Range Road 20 closed due to fatal collision
- Two people sent to hospital after collision on Hwy 16A
- STARS called to collision on Hwy 16A
Between questions, Getson assured the community safety was the government's top priority: "It's not a matter of cost. We're simply talking about engineering solutions for the outcome. So don't worry about cost, that's not in the conversation here."
At one point he and the other transportation department officials were booed by the crowd, but it wasn't anything they didn't expect going in.
"Let's not sugar coat this: There's incidents taking place there and we're losing community members and general passersby on the highway, as well. So this is something we take very serious. We have to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to talk about what their concerns are," he told CTV News Edmonton.
"At the end of the day," Kwasnycia commented, "I think everyone can agree it just needs to be made safer, regardless of what they do."
The government has not provided a timeline for its public consultation work. However, it has confirmed it will not close the intersection until a decision is made.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Galen McDougall, Adam Lachacz and Jessica Robb
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
opinion Tom Mulcair: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's train wreck of a final act
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader and political analyst Tom Mulcair puts a spotlight on the 'spectacular failure' of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's final act on the political stage.
B.C. mayor gets calls from across Canada about 'crazy' plan to recruit doctors
A British Columbia community's "out-of-the-box" plan to ease its family doctor shortage by hiring physicians as city employees is sparking interest from across Canada, says Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi.
'There’s no support': Domestic abuse survivor shares difficulties leaving her relationship
An Edmonton woman who tried to flee an abusive relationship ended up back where she started in part due to a lack of shelter space.
opinion King Charles' Christmas: Who's in and who's out this year?
Christmas 2024 is set to be a Christmas like no other for the Royal Family, says royal commentator Afua Hagan. King Charles III has initiated the most important and significant transformation of royal Christmas celebrations in decades.
Baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson dead at 65, reports say
Rickey Henderson, a Baseball Hall of Famer and Major League Baseball’s all-time stolen bases leader, is dead at 65, according to multiple reports.
Arizona third-grader saves choking friend
An Arizona third-grader is being recognized by his local fire department after saving a friend from choking.
Germans mourn the 5 killed and 200 injured in the apparent attack on a Christmas market
Germans on Saturday mourned the victims of an apparent attack in which authorities say a doctor drove into a busy outdoor Christmas market, killing five people, injuring 200 others and shaking the public’s sense of security at what would otherwise be a time of joy.
Blake Lively accuses 'It Ends With Us' director Justin Baldoni of harassment and smear campaign
Blake Lively has accused her 'It Ends With Us' director and co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of the movie and a subsequent effort to “destroy' her reputation in a legal complaint.
Oysters distributed in B.C., Alberta, Ontario recalled for norovirus contamination
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall due to possible norovirus contamination of certain oysters distributed in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.