On the road again with woes

A round-a-bout near Nobleford, at the intersection of Highway 519 and Highway 23 has had a few growing pains over the past few weeks.
Two cattle liner collisions with the unfortunate demise of cattle because of driver neglect.
But, was the round-a-bout the best idea the powers that be at Alberta Transportation could come up with?
Sure there haven’t been any fatalities — yet, but only time will tell how good of a solution a round-a-bout will be.
Controversy has also been running rampant through these parts, as Lethbridge County has decided to install signal lights at the intersection of Broxburn Road and Highway 3. Commercial interest? Safety concerns? Many residents of the county have been asking why the county has put in signal lights at this location and not at other troublesome spots near Coalhurst and the Nobleford location, where now a round-a-bout sits.
During discussions, councils throughout the county have brought up the idea of lowering speeds on major highways but it was also brought up this isn’t necessarily good for the flow of traffic but during construction periods speed limits are dropped and it seems to work pretty good in getting many motorists to slow down
Talk around the county has also expressed the idea a round-a-bout might not be a great idea for a high speed area such as Nobleford, with big trucks hauling big goods, during the day and at night, all the time.
An emergency management official visited Coaldale recently and talked to council about hazards in the community, which included the rail line. Perhaps, Alberta Transportation can take a few pointers from the province’s emergency management department for Nobleford and Coalhurst traffic woes.
It’s only a matter of time for a disaster to happen at both intersections. What if a tanker overturns or a truck hauling chemicals tips and covers the area with toxic waste? Or what if a multi-vehicle collision happens at high speeds, as has happened in the past?
Traffic woes will continue in Lethbridge County. Drivers need to take care and keep their eyes on the road. Driver error is often the cause of many senseless accidents.
But, perhaps the ideas brought forth by the powers that be need to be re-examined for flaws before being implemented.
Hopefully, no one will get hurt near Nobleford at the round-a-bout or near the Coalhurst entrance.
At least with the signal lights near Broxburn Road, safety may win. But, controversy continues with parties not too keen on the lights being installed, and the after the fact of the traffic build-up at a stop light.
Maybe, councils and provincial government needs to work even better at collaborating and brainstorming and coming up with ideas that work for everyone involved.

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