Calgary looks at adding traffic signals at 3 John Laurie Blvd. intersections
The City of Calgary says it is looking at installing traffic signals at three intersections along John Laurie Boulevard N.W. to improve safety.
The intersections are located at Brisebois Drive, Charleswood Drive and 19th Street N.W.
"Because Charleswood as well as 19th and Brisebois do not have lights at the intersections it's quite challenging in order to either turn left from those collector roads onto John Laurie or to turn left from John Laurie onto the collector roads," said area resident Lori Santink.
Santink and her husband Nic moved into a house on Charleswood Drivew N.W. in July. They regularly hear horns honking and screeching tires just north of their home.
"Definitely something has to be done, it's an accident waiting to happen."
On Nov. 17, the couple saw the aftermath of a crash where a pickup truck caught fire closing John Laurie for some time. Four days later another collision.
"This time fortunately no vehicles caught on fire," she said. "But it looked to be a multiple vehicle collision as well, again traffic being diverted, again a number of emergency vehicles being called out."
Santink reached out to her area councillor Sean Chu.
"His basic response was that they've put up the infrastructure to look at putting in lights at a later date, no further conversation with him," said Santink.
A spokesperson with the Brentwood Community Association says "In non-peak traffic times most residents try to avoid turning left (at those intersections) and will use Shaganappi Trail instead. Right hand turns have been made safer by the new improved paving as well as longer entrance ramps off Brisebois."
While it may seem like there are many crashes at those uncontrolled intersections, Calgary Police Service officials say those locations didn’t crack their list of the top 20 locations with the most collisions in 2020.
Pat Grisak, the coordinator of traffic management with the City of Calgary, says all three spots need to be changed.
"Over the past several years, the number of collisions that have occurred at all three intersections has increased," Grisak said.
"Traffic safety is a paramount concern for The City of Calgary, and the three intersections on John Laurie Boulevard N.W. require traffic signals to address the collision issues that are occurring along the corridor."
Grisak noted traffic signals at Brisebois Drive would also provide the community a "much desired, safe crossing for pedestrians walking to Nose Hill Park."
The criteria the city uses to determine if traffic signals are needed at an intersection include an analysis of traffic volumes, traffic operations/intersection delay and safety performance.
"An analysis to determine what the impacts on John Laurie Boulevard N.W. traffic will be with all three intersections signalized has been undertaken," Grisak said. "Traffic signals will have an impact, however, it is anticipated that traffic operations will remain acceptable."
Grisak says the city will be holding public engagement sessions on the matter. Though dates have yet to be set, he says they're likely to happen in early or mid 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.