Improvements for Hwy 28 Leading into Bonnyville Proposed

Bonnyville Town Council was presented with ideas on how to improve issues on Highway 28 entering the town by the Community Policy Committee. The committee believes one of the reasons for traffic congestion on the Highway, which transitions into 50th avenue/main street, is the first intersection, 66th street, at Neighbourhood Inn and MPI Midfield. Mayor Gene Sobolewski explains the committee recommended adding turning lanes or widening the street.

“When somebody’s making a left turn, essentially [the committee] wanted to make sure the painting on the road is conducive to allow someone to pass on the right. The road is wide enough to allow that,” explains Mayor Sobolewski. This caused Council to ponder if the stretch of road should include passing and/or turning lanes at other important intersections; such as at Ducharme Motors. “The corner at Ducharme’s or where the Broiler is,” the Mayor says this would lead to more problems, “there’s not enough room to pass and that causes a lot of congestion we have on that road.”

Council is considering the larger picture, says Mayor Sobolewski, “perhaps it’s time that Highway takes a look at putting the intersection improvements on that are necessary, so that people can pass on the right, so they’re not stuck in traffic and clogging traffic.”

Should the Town decide to widen the road the Mayor assures this would not have any affect on the new street lights that the town is planning on installing, “the new lights are going to be higher and set back farther [then where the current light posts are positioned].”

The committee also presented ideas to reduce the speed limit on that stretch of road from 70 km/hr to 60 km/hr. Council thought this was a good recommendation and will send a letter to Alberta Transportation lobbying for the reduction in speed.