On the heels of a fatality crash at the intersection of Highway 12 and 20 just west of Bentley last week, the Mayor of Bentley is calling on more people to write letters to the province about safety concerns at the intersection.
 
Lynda Haarstad-Petten says it's been an ongoing issue for years.

“The Town has written letters as well as other organizations and individuals through the years, but nothing ever seems to get done. Even if we could get them to slow the traffic down and maybe put a 4 way stop. It’s a pretty cheap alternative I think when it comes to saving people’s lives”.

She has concerns with the poor sightlines and the speed traffic is travelling at on Highway 20.

“If you are in a smaller car where that bridge is on your right hand side, if you’re in a smaller car in particular you have to pull out quite a ways to see and on top of that when they’re coming down the highway and it’s posted at 100 km/h, and you know yourself that most people don’t travel at 100, so if you’re not familiar with the intersection people misjudge just how far away these people are”.

Haarstad-Petten says even just improved signage and a lowered speed limit would help prevent further injuries and deaths.
 
She says the Town will again write to Alberta Transportation for a solution and she's encouraging others to contact their local MLA’s or write directly to the NDP government.
 
Last Friday (June 23rd) a 57 year old woman from Edmonton was killed when a pick-up truck and sedan collided at the intersection shortly before 6 pm.

Haarstad-Petten says there are high traffic volumes at that intersection between 6 and 9 am and 4 and 7 pm, and she notes if she has to travel during those peak times, she’ll alter her route to avoid the intersection because of the safety concerns.

There are no immediate plans for changes or improvements at the intersection according to Alberta Transportation Spokesperson Anna Neale.

"We've received very few comments about this intersection. I guess the first thing we would like to say is also offer our thoughts to the families of the drivers that were involved in the collision last week. At this time there is no work underway at this intersection, but as a matter of course, Alberta Transportation reviews collision reports and we take that information into consideration when monitoring the highway network".

In terms of that on-going monitoring, Neale explains what factors are considered when reviewing intersection safety.

"As per Alberta Transportation standard process, collision data, among other statistical information such as traffic counts, condition of pavement, all of that is considered and will be considered at this intersection as well and be reviewed to see if any improvements are warranted".

Neale says the province last upgraded the intersection around 2008, adding some new lanes, lengthening some of the transitions into the turning lanes, as well as providing an additional lane for north and southbound traffic to avoid left turning traffic onto Highway 20, all to improve the flow of traffic.

(Intersection view if you are travelling east on HWY 12)