INNISFAIL – A problematic east-side intersection is getting blinking solar-powered stop lights to reduce the number of near miss incidents by motorists.
Town council was told earlier this month that if the new lights don’t reduce the number of near-miss incidents at the intersection of 42nd Street and 49th Avenue, the town will consider turning the current two-way stop into a four-way.
“Moving to a four-way stop should aid in limiting incidents even if travellers continue to commit traffic infractions, such as a rolling stop, as northbound and southbound through traffic would theoretically no longer be travelling at full speed,” said Steven Kennedy, the town's director of operational services, through his report to council.
He added that if that doesn’t work the town could then move to an “ultimate scenario recommendation”, or a long-term goal of reconstruction/reconfiguration of the intersection, specifically a roundabout.
“The reconstruction of the 42nd Street and 49th Avenue intersection should be the ultimate plan for the town, particularly if the existing traffic controls continue to be ignored,” said Kennedy in his report. “A reconstruction such as this will have large cost implications on the town's budget.”
Kennedy told council that administration contracted Red Deer’s Al-Terra Engineering to complete a review of the intersection at 42nd Street and 49th Avenue to address safety and sight-line concerns.
Council was told that video footage recorded over several days confirmed the town’s safety concerns.
“It is Al-Terra’s interpretation of the video footage, in conjunction with the findings of the various sight triangle scenarios, that the primary contributors to the lack of safety are confusion with the current configuration, neglecting of the existing traffic controls, and misjudging of oncoming traffic,” he told council.
Kennedy then told council that the simplest and lowest cost recommendation that could be implemented immediately is new lighted stop signs and repainting markings at the intersection, which council then endorsed.
Last week, following Kennedy’s presentation to council, he told The Albertan that staff has already put the order in for two blinking solar-powered stop lights for traffic moving east and west on 42nd Street.
“That will make a huge difference,” he said, adding it’s not known when the new stop lights will arrive for installation.
“They’ve been ordered right away but we don’t have a duration as to how long it will take us to get the signs because it will take some time to get those signs built.”
He said in the summer, staff will be repainting the crosswalks and markings at the intersection.
“Hopefully with that it will help. It’s faded really bad because we didn’t get any painting done last year,” he concluded.
