Drivers in Airdrie have long had concerns about an intersection near Balzac, and now Alberta Transportation has come up with a short-term solution.

Stop signs were installed yesterday morning (January 24) along Highway 566 at the intersection with Range Road 11, which turns into 8th Street in Airdrie, turning the intersection into a four-way stop. Fred Lee, Calgary District Operations Manager with Alberta Transportation, said the stop signs were installed because of increased traffic in that area. Lee said the four-way stop is an interim solution until something more long term can be done.

"We do have plans for a modern roundabout for that location, but that's to be constructed at the same time as the Balzac interchange would be constructed, the new upgraded interchange, but we do not have the funding for that right now."

Lee said the Balzac interchange upgrades, including the roundabout at the troublesome intersection, are a priority for Alberta Transportation, but they simply haven't received the necessary funding yet. Lee was unable to say how long the short-term four-way stop solution would last.

"It's depending on the funding for the modern roundabout. It is included as part of the Balzac interchange upgrades. We're talking about 80 million, 100 million dollars, so it's on what we call the unfunded project list."

Lee said there is a possibility that the modern roundabout could receive separate funding, but even that could cost up to $5 million.

The intersection of Highway 566 and Range Road 11 has been a source of frustration for Airdrie drivers for some time. At the most recent City Council meeting on January 15, Lorne Stevens, Director of Community Infrastructure with the City of Airdrie, said both the City and Rocky View County have identified the intersection as a safety concern.

Lee hopes the new stop signs will help with those concerns. He said there is always a concern around people not stopping at intersections.

"We had the two way stop north and south before, so now we put it in as a four-way stop, so you would have to have two drivers failing to stop to get into an accident."

Lee is confident drivers will adapt to the change. Alberta Transportation has installed signs with starbursts and the word "new" a distance from the intersection to alert drivers to the new stop signs.

Rocky View County did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new stop signs.

 

Read More:

Rocky View Intersection is a Safety Concern for City of Airdrie

 

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