Road crews slowing down traffic, but it will be worth it in the end
Column: Gimme Some Grammar appeared in Fort McMurray Today June 16, 2006
By MICHAEL HALL
Today staff
Just when you think you know everything, you don't.
When I heard about the plans by Alberta Transportation to make short-term improvements to Highway 63 through town to help traffic flow, I was optimistic about the plan, and assumed it would be in place in a month or so.
The biggest change -- a southbound traffic lane that will bypass the lights at Morrison and Hardin Streets -- already existed, in part. An ancient (by today's standards, a decade is ancient -- this road probably dates back 30 years) portion of the highway already curved up and above the signs for downtown businesses.
That road, it seems, did not meet standards. I'm in favour of strong standards for road design -- I've covered too many crash stories and worry about my own safety as a result. Good for them.
The new bypass road crews are building now, including a wider approach at the Hospital Street overpass, is a massive job. When finished, it's going to be smooth sailing for many local drivers.
Many people griped when the double left-turn lanes were installed at Morrison and Hardin. This new route will turn those frowns upside-down.
I was thinking that the workers toiling on the road project have more than a bit in common with oilsands workers -- there are hundreds of men and women at the mines devoted to stripping off the layer of earth covering the oilsands deposits -- they call it overburden. There are also crews to rip up, change and replace roads throughout the oilsands mines, sometimes on a daily basis.
I've been with PR staff on voyages into various mines when they had to loop around changes to the network of roadways. It must be a difficult task to keep track for everyone out there.
Once the initial changes in town are made -- still to come is the proposal to have three lanes turning left on to Thickwood Boulevard from the highway -- we'll see construction start on a new bridge and all of the interchanges/over/underpasses at Morrison and Hardin, Thickwood Boulevard and Confederation Way.
It'll make the work underway now seem like child's play.
- - -
The 50 km/h speed limit on the downtown highway section is there to protect the workers doing their best for us. Few local drivers are following the limit.
One of these days, they're going to get a rude shock when the police issue them a ticket for twice the usual fine.
I support the change to raise fines in construction zones. There's no reason those workers should be exposed to extra danger from the driving public.
On the other side of the equation, construction crews in town and on the highway south don't always take down the speed limit signs when they knock off for the night or a weekend.
This ticks many drivers off.
Am I out of line lobbying for some kind of penalty for the workers if they neglect this duty?
- - -
Regional councillor Sonny Flett, who represents Fort Chipewyan and Fort McKay, came up with a startling number this week.
He said the MacDonald Island expansion price tag was $135 million.
It snapped me out of the semi-daze I'd fallen into, listening to politicians gab for the sake of gabbing.
The last number we heard on the project was $107 million. That would be the Fort McMurray Factor with rocket boosters attached.
I checked. The number is still at $107 million. Municipal staff are cautious, however. There are no guarantees it won't jump, because high bids on portions of the work can wreck their best-laid plans.
Flett wants to see the Archie Simpson Arena in Chip have artificial ice when it's rebuilt. The former structure collapsed in 2003.
Flett's exaggeration was to make a point, of course. He's not the first politician to use this tactic since the dawn of time.
It was a bit surprising because Flett has served for a long time on council but said very little in public. When he talks, people listen, however.
Flett has graciously chaperoned two Today reporters on extensive tours of his hamlet that money could not buy. Rob Petkau and Larissa Liepins came back from their visits to the northern hamlet with a new appreciation for the man and his community.
Flett represents his constituents with a quiet ferocity that belies his shy outward appearance. While he's a role model for Chip youth, he should also be an example for some of our more verbose councillors, too.
Ron Morgan shared the council chambers with Flett for several years. The two men, from different backgrounds, are like peas in a pod in a sense: the few words they shared around the table were important and respected.
I talked briefly to Morgan on Thursday. He sounds like he's doing well. It's too bad he's not still on council.
In this time of incredible growth, we all need to step back a bit and hear the wisdom of our elders.
- - -
Should we start a pool? My guess is 79,431.
Actually, I have no idea.
I hear the results of the Wood Buffalo census will be made public in a week or two. I'm really curious to learn how many were counted.
I saw a new projection this week by an engineering firm with a "high growth" estimate of 196,000 people in this region by 2030.
Wow. Double wow.
When this region leaps into third place in Alberta, behind Edmonton and Calgary, the province will have to start treating us with the respect we deserve.
© Copyright 2006, Fort McMurray Today.
By MICHAEL HALL
Today staff
Just when you think you know everything, you don't.
When I heard about the plans by Alberta Transportation to make short-term improvements to Highway 63 through town to help traffic flow, I was optimistic about the plan, and assumed it would be in place in a month or so.
The biggest change -- a southbound traffic lane that will bypass the lights at Morrison and Hardin Streets -- already existed, in part. An ancient (by today's standards, a decade is ancient -- this road probably dates back 30 years) portion of the highway already curved up and above the signs for downtown businesses.
That road, it seems, did not meet standards. I'm in favour of strong standards for road design -- I've covered too many crash stories and worry about my own safety as a result. Good for them.
The new bypass road crews are building now, including a wider approach at the Hospital Street overpass, is a massive job. When finished, it's going to be smooth sailing for many local drivers.
Many people griped when the double left-turn lanes were installed at Morrison and Hardin. This new route will turn those frowns upside-down.
I was thinking that the workers toiling on the road project have more than a bit in common with oilsands workers -- there are hundreds of men and women at the mines devoted to stripping off the layer of earth covering the oilsands deposits -- they call it overburden. There are also crews to rip up, change and replace roads throughout the oilsands mines, sometimes on a daily basis.
I've been with PR staff on voyages into various mines when they had to loop around changes to the network of roadways. It must be a difficult task to keep track for everyone out there.
Once the initial changes in town are made -- still to come is the proposal to have three lanes turning left on to Thickwood Boulevard from the highway -- we'll see construction start on a new bridge and all of the interchanges/over/underpasses at Morrison and Hardin, Thickwood Boulevard and Confederation Way.
It'll make the work underway now seem like child's play.
- - -
The 50 km/h speed limit on the downtown highway section is there to protect the workers doing their best for us. Few local drivers are following the limit.
One of these days, they're going to get a rude shock when the police issue them a ticket for twice the usual fine.
I support the change to raise fines in construction zones. There's no reason those workers should be exposed to extra danger from the driving public.
On the other side of the equation, construction crews in town and on the highway south don't always take down the speed limit signs when they knock off for the night or a weekend.
This ticks many drivers off.
Am I out of line lobbying for some kind of penalty for the workers if they neglect this duty?
- - -
Regional councillor Sonny Flett, who represents Fort Chipewyan and Fort McKay, came up with a startling number this week.
He said the MacDonald Island expansion price tag was $135 million.
It snapped me out of the semi-daze I'd fallen into, listening to politicians gab for the sake of gabbing.
The last number we heard on the project was $107 million. That would be the Fort McMurray Factor with rocket boosters attached.
I checked. The number is still at $107 million. Municipal staff are cautious, however. There are no guarantees it won't jump, because high bids on portions of the work can wreck their best-laid plans.
Flett wants to see the Archie Simpson Arena in Chip have artificial ice when it's rebuilt. The former structure collapsed in 2003.
Flett's exaggeration was to make a point, of course. He's not the first politician to use this tactic since the dawn of time.
It was a bit surprising because Flett has served for a long time on council but said very little in public. When he talks, people listen, however.
Flett has graciously chaperoned two Today reporters on extensive tours of his hamlet that money could not buy. Rob Petkau and Larissa Liepins came back from their visits to the northern hamlet with a new appreciation for the man and his community.
Flett represents his constituents with a quiet ferocity that belies his shy outward appearance. While he's a role model for Chip youth, he should also be an example for some of our more verbose councillors, too.
Ron Morgan shared the council chambers with Flett for several years. The two men, from different backgrounds, are like peas in a pod in a sense: the few words they shared around the table were important and respected.
I talked briefly to Morgan on Thursday. He sounds like he's doing well. It's too bad he's not still on council.
In this time of incredible growth, we all need to step back a bit and hear the wisdom of our elders.
- - -
Should we start a pool? My guess is 79,431.
Actually, I have no idea.
I hear the results of the Wood Buffalo census will be made public in a week or two. I'm really curious to learn how many were counted.
I saw a new projection this week by an engineering firm with a "high growth" estimate of 196,000 people in this region by 2030.
Wow. Double wow.
When this region leaps into third place in Alberta, behind Edmonton and Calgary, the province will have to start treating us with the respect we deserve.
© Copyright 2006, Fort McMurray Today.
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