Controlled access

[cowman]

Apparently the Alberta government intends to limit access to Highway #2 between Calgary and Edmonton(By the way I refuse to call it Queen Elizabeth II...just because that idiot Ralph wanted to impress the bluebloods)!

The idea is that there would be no more side road access onto the highway except at overpasses. Not sure if they intend to build more overpasses or if farmers will be driving many miles to get their machinery accross the roads? I can't imagine it being a lot of fun trying to get across now as the traffic is ferocious just about 24/7!
There is an open house, in my area, on the 20th and I hope I can attend as there is a rumor about a new overpass that may affect me in a favorful way.
Unfortunately this restriction on access is going to affect a lot of farmers in both time and money, but is probably neccessary?

[cswilson]

cowman, if this is proposed it will impact numerous people and of course the agricultural industry, so I would certainly hope that all municipalities along highway 2 would be lobbying the government as one unit to ensure that their citizens have access where necessary. I would assume that Rockyview, Mountainview, Red Deer, Lacombe, Ponoka, Wetaskiwin, Leduc would all have a stake in the outcome of this access issue.

[Ron]

Cowman
I was down east at work and couldnt get to the meeting, what happened? I have land on both sides of highway #2 (I agree about QE2, why bother) and there has been a sign for at least 7 years saying the access will be closed (they boarded over the date about five years ago). Do they realize all the traffic that will be channeled through the towns if they close these access points? How many 56' air drills do they want going through downtown Lacombe, Ponoka etc?
Thanks for any info

[cowman]

Ron: Unfortunately I had a little problem with a piece of equipment and never made it to the open house, however a neighbor got there and he informed me that they intend to build a "flyover" at the crossing that would affect me.
A "flyover" apparently is an overpass without access onto the highway. He said the general consensus seemed to be(from the farmers) that if you are going to the expense of building the flyover,you might as well make it an overpass? The government people running the show were sort of in agreement and said that could be an option, but they were having some trouble with the county! Apparently the county sees access as an added cost to them because the connecting roads might get a lot more use! They implied if the municipality was onside a full overpass might be possible.
He got a bunch of info for me but I haven't picked it up yet. When I do I will pass it on.

[cowman]

one of the issues with the county may be the fact that the municipality will have to pick up the tab for any lighting that is necessary at intersections of local roads and the overpass.
I wonder if what transportation is proposing is similar to the roadway that was constructed north of Lacombe to access local roads to the east.
Cowman, you and the others that are affected by this proposal had better ensure that you state your case fairly strongly, and get your MLA involved as well. Otherwise transportation will just do what they please.

[cowman]

Actually emerald, my MLA is about as useless as tits on a boar! Oh without a doubt he is right there if the TV cameras are rolling but try to get him to deal with any mundane issue and he is always "busy"!
The sad part of the whole thing is the guy got in cause he whipped up the "faithful" and convinced them he was the man to get the job done, thus beating out a really good man who actually had the interests of the community at heart! What can I say...in my constituency getting the PC nomination is a guarantee to getting elected!
The man was totally unsuited to serving the area...he was a bloody oil consultant who dragged his butt in here a few years before...from who knows where! The better man was a farmer/rancher whose family had been here for 100 years! His Dad was the MP for many years and Lieutenant govenor of Alberta! You tell me who might give a rip about the people in this area?

[cowman]

Politics is certainly not about common sense is it cowman !!!!! If I live to be 100 I will never understand how the public can be swayed by flashy campaigns and people that lack substance.