Alberta Transportation is undertaking a functional planning study to see if a highway bypass would benefit Athabasca.
Area resident Fred Martin, who has lead a lobby effort for what he calls a ‘safety route’ around Athabasca, said last week that he received word that Alberta Transportation was going to formally study highway bypass options.
The study will look at if a safety route is needed, and if so, where it could go. They will also be looking at existing roads to help keep the cost of building a bypass route down.
“I guess that’s where it stands right now,” Martin said. “I gave one little suggestion for a route, but what I wanted them to do was have a study, and public input from the people.”
After a meeting with Minister of Transportation Luke Ouelette in April, Martin called to check on the progress of his request.
“A little later on I phoned the bridge manager of the Alberta Government, and he advised me that the government was going to hire a consultant and they were going to look into this issue,” he said. “They also advised me there would be an ad in the paper requesting public input.”
After almost being run over last December, Martin decided he was going to take action. After a flood of support from the town, county and chamber, Martin is getting a bypass looked into.
Martin proposed that Alberta Transportation look at the issues of 18-wheel trucks driving into town from all directions and having to negotiate traffic lights and hills.
The corner of 50th Avenue and 50th Street is not a safe place for pedestrians to cross the street, according to Martin.
“(Last) December I was trying to cross the street from the hotel over to the Rexall drugstore, and I was waiting for the walk light,” Martin explained.
Martin was quick enough on his feet to jump out of the way of a truck that wasn’t stopping.
“If I’d stayed where I was standing, it would have killed me,” he said.
“I investigated a bit further and I found there were other safety problems in the town with the big trucks trying to negotiate hills and lights,” he explained. “I thought that it would be a good idea to have a safety route somewhere in Athabasca to try and eliminate those problems.”
A safety route would eliminate the heavy truck traffic through Athababasca’s main intersection, and help to avoid dangers to pedestrians.
“I went to the MLA about it, and he said I should talk to the county, town and chamber,” Martin said. “I did, and I got letters of support from the town, the county and the chamber.”
Martin also spoke with Al-Pac and received their support.
“We had a motion of support by the Athabasca Lions Club,” he added.
Martin was also hoping the safety route might also bring in a new bridge.
“This bridge is about 60 years old, and approaching from the north when you pass Pine Grove Estates, there is about seven or eight turn-offs,” he said. “It’s around a corner and down a hill, and there have been some accidents in there.”
When Martin spoke with several truckers, they told Martin they have dubbed the stretch ‘Suicide Alley.’
Martin hopes to see the problems with heavy traffic in Athabasca addressed quickly, but understands things do take time.
