Battleford town council is taking steps to inform the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure of a potentially dangerous intersection.
The intersection that has been the subject of complaints is south of Battleford where Highway 4 meets grid road 656.
CAO John Enns-Wind said residents are concerned someone might get rearended.
The intersection is at the bottom of the valley beside Battle River.
“Many drivers are worried that trucks are speeding to gain momentum to go up the next hill while family vehicles are slowing to make the turn,” according to Enns-Wind’s administrative report.
Also, the east and west shoulders along the highway south of Battle River are broken on the edges and are narrow, meaning there would be little room for a vehicle to escape an incident.
Traffic at the intersection is high, according to Enns-Wind’s report, due to residential development in the RM and the tourist destinations in the former Government House vicinity.
Enns-Wind suggested three options: extending street lighting south of the intersection; extend the in-town speed limit of 80 km/h until south of the intersection; and widening the road leading to grid road 656 from both the north and the south to allow for a turning lane.
Enns-Wind said matters relating to the intersection are the provincial government’s responsibility, and he sought a resolution in order for the responsible authorities to look into the matter. Town leadership will send a letter to the ministry outlining the above.
Having driven in the area herself, Councillor Judy Pruden confirmed the validity of the drivers’ concerns.
