LETHBRIDGE- After decades of pleas for safety improvements, Coalhurst resident say their hard work and dedication is finally paying off.
“Once it’s all said and done I think we will look back and say it mattered to all of us, not just those who live in our community,” said resident Jake Vanschothorst.
He is among a group of people fighting for change at the infamous Coalhurst intersection, and after meeting with the Alberta transportation minister, Vanschothorst says pay day is here.
“We had a meeting with mayor, council and the CAO. I actually went and stood in the middle of the intersection for a while and watched the traffic pattern. They had some suggestions I hadn’t heard before,” explained Minister of Transportation, Wayne Drysdale.
One of those suggestions is moving the deceleration lane into Coalhurst closer to the train tracks, opening up the line of site for drivers waiting to cross Highway 3. The minister says it’s an idea he thinks will help.
“It’s a little bit of a balance. You probably aren’t going to make everybody happy, but from what I see the majority of the people, this is what they would support,” said Drysdale.
The department has been looking at all options, and Drysdale says they were considering removing the intersection all together.
For Coalhurst business owners like Vanschothorst, he feels closing the intersection would do more harm than good because no other access points can support the high volume of traffic.
“In terms of property values it would definitely have negative bearing as a business,” said Vanschothorst. “It certainly would not be a solution we would support.”
The next step is for the transportation department to discuss the lane changeand find the balance for both convenience and safety.
If this concept is approved by Alberta Transportation, Drysdale says construction could begin as soon as this year.
The town is anticipating an answer from Drysdale within the month.
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