The Highway 55/34th Street intersection has generated considerable discussion in recent weeks in town council chambers, on social media sites and, no doubt, around kitchen tables.
Working towards improving infrastructure safety is always laudable. But town council is somewhat limited in what it can do based on how steadfast Alberta Transportation proves to be in its position that the intersection requires no changes at the moment.
Even if town council eventually elects to make 34th Street a one-way or left-in, left-out, the choice will no doubt be hotly debated and far from swift. It will require consultation with affected groups — as good governance always does — such as emergency medical personnel who might object to traffic being redirected near the hospital.
There is, however, one variable that we can control right away: our own care and attentiveness as drivers.
On Aug. 27, a collision occurred at the intersection in which charges were laid. One day later, on Aug. 28, RCMP laid 14 charges and gave two warnings at the same spot in the span of just a few hours. Were all 17 drivers on those two days the victims of poor infrastructure and perilous blind spots? Not unless stop signs have suddenly become illegible to the average driver. According to the RCMP, most of the charges laid involved people failing to obey a stop sign. Others were for speeding and for driving while distracted by a cellphone.
It’s likely that in many collisions and close calls at the intersection, the drivers are deficient, not the infrastructure.
Yes, there are times when the intersection is tricky to navigate. A line of buses turning right off Highway 55 and onto 34th Street can make entering Highway 55 from 34th Street difficult because it’s hard to see who else may be coming up the hill. But drivers already have the choice to exit Cornwall from near Canadian Tire if they so choose. We don’t need to wait for town council to tell us it may be the better option during peak traffic hours.
Council is right to discuss any constituent concerns over which they may exercise some power. But in this case, the agency lies with the constituents — those who drive, anyway.
It’s up to us whether we use that power for good or for texting while driving.
