Highway traffic safety in and around Penhold is becoming a hot issue after the recent death of Trystan Sorensen on May 20 as he travelled by longboard on Highway 592 west of Penhold.
Highway traffic safety in and around Penhold is becoming a hot issue after the recent death of Trystan Sorensen on May 20 as he travelled by longboard on Highway 592 west of Penhold.
"We are really concerned with the traffic in front of our home," said Paula Bennett who lives with her husband Darcy on Highway 592. "The posted speed limit is 60 kilometres an hour yet vehicles routinely travel in excess of 100 kilometres an hour on the road. Very often we are in our yard and watch the vehicles speed by. Both small cars and large trucks don't obey the speed limits."
The couple noted Penhold's bylaw enforcement officers have used their driveway to wait in and ticket drivers but their efforts have not been effective yet.
"Just a little over there," Bennett said pointing to an intersection away to the west, "the county cops will wait with their radar guns but we don't see them too often which is bad. Drivers who come off the 100 kilometres an hour stretch speeding do not often slow down. Their driving speed is often only part of the problem; distracted drivers are a big part of the problem."
The Bennetts spoke of email correspondence between themselves and Penhold councillors regarding traffic violations on Highway 592 west.
"There needs to be strict enforcement of the road west of the Fas Gas before someone else is injured or killed," said Bennett.
The issue of the Highway 42 and Waskasoo Avenue intersection has long been a sore spot for the Town of Penhold and Alberta Transport.
With the construction and pending grand opening of Penhold Crossing Secondary School and the opening of the quarter north of the Penhold Multiplex, debate arose as to the type of intersection required by the town.
It was decided that a type II intersection was adequate, said Penhold mayor Dennis Cooper. The project has been tendered out and awarded with construction to begin the week of June 12.
"Alberta Highways, under the direction of Minister of Transportation Wayne Drysdale, injected $150,000 upon recognizing our efforts in trying to make the road safe for our upcoming subdivision," said Cooper. "We have also been able to reduce the speed on Highway 42 as well with the cooperation of the department."
According to Penhold CAO Rick Binnendyk's report to council, pedestrian safety concerns have been built into the intersection plans and infrastructure is put into place and will be activated once a need is identified.
Binnendyk commented on the students crossing a major highway such as 2A.
"With 8,000 cars passing through the intersection, our students really do need a safe corner to cross when they walk to the library at the multiplex," said Binnendyk.
During the recent Hawkridge Market Square opening, a large group of students from Penhold School crossed Highway 2A during the early afternoon.
"There are two to three groups of children who cross the road every week during school hours," said Penhold School principal Clark Peters. "As we do have a user agreement with the Town of Penhold, we would like to use the multiplex more often but travel time is a concern for the teachers."
He added that next year once Penhold Crossing Secondary School opens, his student population will remain steady at around 250, but instead of having grade 7 to 9 students, there will only be grade 3 to 6.
"As my students will be younger, anything we can do to make their journey safer will be welcome," said Peters. "Any time they cross the highway I am concerned."
Cooper said efforts to work with Alberta Transport on constructing school crosswalks began with the Lucina roadway a number of years back.
"We were encouraged to put a crosswalk on Lucina so kids could walk to Jessie Duncan School," said Cooper. "So we put a controlled intersection there and our kids do use the area safely. With the multiplex gymnasium and library open, the walk to the multiplex is many blocks longer than it needs to be, especially when students and teachers have only so much time."
He added the only possible solution is another crosswalk on Boutellier for the students, noting the town is "hoping to move ahead on solar powered walk lights.
"It is very important with the recent death of the longboarder that we, as a community make our roads and streets safe for our citizens," said Binnendyk. "As we are a growing community, the potential problem will just become worse."
Meanwhile, the Town of Penhold is taking steps to mark the truck route along Fleming Avenue in order to properly enforce traffic bylaws and make the street safer for children walking north to Penhold School.
"I think it is important that we err on the side of safety rather than not take a good look and take care of the safety of our students," added Cooper. "We have to put together a good case for Alberta Highways."
