Dear Editor,
I am writing for all my dear family members, friends, and co-workers in the Bonnyville area who have to travel north of Bonnyville on a daily basis. We are putting our lives on the line every time we get in a vehicle and drive down the highways. Some highways are much more dangerous than others and the corner of Highway 41 and Highway 660 is one of the most dangerous corners in northeast Alberta.
What has been done to reduce this problem? The corner has had night lights installed and talk of widening the 660 turning lanes has come about. This is not enough and not soon enough.
We just had another fatality! A dear co-worker, friend, and neighbour has been killed in another collision on this intersection. Just a few years ago another young neighbour was killed at this same dangerous corner. We now have two neighbours within two miles that have been killed and two young families have to grow up without a father. This was all preventable and must be prevented sooner than later.
What can be done immediately? We need a four-way stop installed yesterday! We have been talking about this for years and now we have another fatality. NO MORE TALKING -WE WANT ACTION…. four-way stop signs and a lower speed limit of 80 km/h from the Bonnyville airport to Bonnyville town limits.
Why will this help drastically? A few years ago, as a result of a huge double semi-tractor collision at the church and cemetery landmark intersection north of Lamont, three men were killed and weeks later the intersection became a four-way stop.
Has there been any fatalities since? You tell me. When travelling south of Andrew to Mundare, what do you come across in the middle of quiet Alberta? Another four-way stop. Perfect. It works great. Has there been any fatalities since this installation? You tell me. What is the cost of this installation? Yes, under $10,000. What has been the cost of delaying the installation of a four-way stop at Highway 41 and Highway 660? Another fatality.
We have been talking with sign companies, the MD of Bonnyville , trucking companies, and oilfield companies and we are prepared to pay for and install all signs complete with huge trailer signs warning of the new four-way stop intersection ahead. The 80 km/h signs will be installed to slow traffic from the Bonnyville airport to Bonnyville town limits. With or without your assistance we can make this happen this week. We are prepared to man these locations with safety personnel while traffic gets trained on the new signage.
This is not rocket science, we just want our children, grandchildren and neighbors to get to town and back safely. We cannot sit on our hands any longer waiting for more traffic surveys.
Respectfully submitted,
Roger and Suzanne Antoniuk
MD of Bonnyville residents
