COALHURST- Taylor and Natalie Hewlett made Coalhurst their home three years ago. But it didn’t take long for them to learn the dangers of the intersection connecting their community to Highway 3.
“Every time we hear there has been another incident in the intersection you know, this is our home and we are concerned about the people and the residents,” adds Taylor Hewlett.
That same fear is shared by Jake Vanschothorst. He’s been a business owner in Coalhurst for 15 years and says the sound of emergency crews is never easy, “We all have an interest in this community and I think we all sort of cringe at the siren when it happens, and its more frequent than any of us would like to admit.”
Deciding to take action as a community, Vanschothorst and the Hewlett’s have launched a petition to see safety improvements made to the intersection.
“What we are asking is the deceleration lane, when you’re coming from Lethbridge pulling into Coalhurst to be lengthened, move it one lane closer to the tracks so then when you’re trying to cross the highway itself you can actually see what’s coming through, and the vehicle pulling into town isn’t blocking your sit,” adds Taylor Hewlett.
The other suggestions are reducing the speed on both sides of the highway and adding flashing lights to draw awareness to the crossing.
The town of Coalhurst says these are suggestions that have been discussed with Alberta Transportation, and while they continue to work on additional entrances into the community, this petition could mean changes come sooner rather than later.
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“Perhaps the voice of the residents as opposed to town council or something like that may have a different affect,” adds Kim Hauta, the Chief Administrative Officer for the town.
Organizers of the petition say the intersection is a concern to all Albertans who travel the busy corridor, and hope to see support from Lethbridge and the rest of the province.
“It’s such a shared concern, anyone who travels that road knows it’s dangerous and would benefit from the changes,” adds Hewlett.
Volunteers are taking the petition door to door in Coalhurst, and are making it available online. Wildrose MLA Ian Donavan will be tabling the petition in the legislature this April.
You can view the online petition here. http://www.facebook.com/coalhurstintersection
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