Regional District Backs Call for Twinning of Highway 16
Prince George, B.C.- Highway 16, between the Alberta border and Prince Rupert has become a major route for transport and visitor traffic and the Regional District is now backing a resolution from the Village of Valemount to have the highway twinned.
Valemount recently approved a resolution that will be sent to the Yellowhead Highway Association calling for that Association to work with the governments of the Provinces of BC and Alberta to have the highway twinned from 3km west of Hinton all the way through to Prince Rupert.
The resolution notes there have been 678 reported vehicle incidents, including 13 fatalities and 143 injuries in the jurisdiction of the Valemount RCMP alone over the past five years. “The traffic is extremely heavy” says Valemount Mayor Jeannette Townsend “The Yellowhead pass is the least closed of all mountain passes in North America so many of the transport trucks are using the Yellowhead Highway.”
She says in addition to the number of crashes, there is a lack of cell service along much of the route, which means getting help to those who need it is often delayed.
The Regional District of Fraser Fort George shares the concern about public safety along the route and is supporting the resolution.
The Provincial Ministry of Transportation has announced a number of improvements to the highway including new passing lanes between Prince George and Prince Rupert, and a major reconstruction project at the rail crossing west of Terrace, but a full twinning does not seem to be in the cards. Mayor Townsend says the likelihood of the Province of B.C. approving a twinning project along the full length of Highway 16 is slim “But if you ask for the moon, maybe you’ll get a couple of stars. I hope they will look to see where the most dangerous spots are, where most of the accidents take place and at least create passing lanes for safety purposes.”
She says there have also been discussions with the BC Ministry of Transportation about improving cell service along the route.”So why not have the cell providers provide an extra tower for safety purposes? I think that’s very important.”
Comments
Good luck, how long has it been since they stated that they were going to twin between here and Cache Creek? They are doing it, but oooooooh so gradual.
The Regional District and Valemount have it right. You have to push continually for stuff that matters, and this one does.
Stating highway fatalities and injuries is just a waste of time. The LibCreds couldn’t care less how many colonials up here get killed or injured on highways up here.
The only time they pretend to give a s*** about the colonial rubes living up here is when it comes time for re-election.
13 fatalities over 5 years, that is quite bad, but nothing compares to what happened in the winter of 2014 on highway 16!
It took over 17 fatal vehicle accidents on Highway 16, over just a 3 month period in the winter of 2014, before this BC Liberal government decided to upgrade the maintenance of the highway from class B to class A. I repeat, over 17 fatal motor vehicle accidents killing over 20 people over just a three month period, in the winter of 2014, before the BC Liberal Government moved to increase highway maintenance.
ht tp://globalnews.ca/news/1111337/highway-16-will-be-upgraded-after-17-fatal-crashes-in-three-months/
Sometimes it takes that much human tragedy, and misery, before a government takes action.
Yet again, somebody beaking off about the liberal’s actions! And sure, NDP would do better?? Bull! All parties would be no different! Never ceases to amaze me on how one thinks that the parties that can do so much better are always in the background!
Well said Lien! I am trying to make a list of highway improvements made up during the ten years of the NDP (1990 to 2000). I remember just one, fourlaning the Hart for about ten or so kilometers, other than that next to nothing.
correction: made up here
As well, highway maintenance like lane painting and safe shoulders was extremely poor, like a 1 out of 10, 10 being excellent, 1 being deplorable!
Maybe they need to take the dollars that they are spending on site C and put it into building roads something that is needed in this province or is someone going to say we just have bad drivers.
We have bad drivers, hardly a day goes by when I don’t see something stupid on the roads. Most collisions are caused by going too fast, fatigue, distracted driving or passing when unsafe. I have yet to see a road to blame for a collision.
A doubled road provides greater safety against bad drivers. They have less temptation to pass unsafely. You have a greater chance of staying away from them. A doubled road will suffer less wear and tear for a given amount of traffic and so on average be in better condition, and when repairs are done, they will be less disruptive.
You want to pay for highways on your electric bill oldman1?
Peter, Hammer to Nail, square on! Good one.
Passing lanes are great if used as intended. Traffic will be going along at 85-90 kmh and once a passing lane is reached you can do 140 kmh and you won’t be able to pass, then back down to 85-90 kmh after the passing lane.
it took the tragic death of a young girl to get stupid Peden Hill changed, can’t imagine what it will take to get our highways fixed.
Super great idea but I think you will have wait a few years before you ever see this get completed. The twin between Cache Creek to PG is still not completed.
Mayor Townsend is quite right on this,twinning the highway to Rupert is a bit of a pipe dream ,but improved cell service and increased winter sanding and plowing and maybe also more police presence could be in our budget right now.
Mayor Townsend is quite right on this,twinning the highway to Rupert is a bit of a pipe dream ,but improved cell service and increased winter sanding and plowing and maybe also more police presence could be in our budget right now.
Mayor Townsend is quite right on this,twinning the highway to Rupert is a bit of a pipe dream ,but improved cell service and increased winter sanding and plowing and maybe also more police presence could be in our budget right now.
The Mayor of Valemount is calling for twinning because “the traffic is extremely heavy”. She may be correct in that the traffic is heavy through Valemount, but the vast majority of that traffic is coming from or heading to Alberta from the lower mainland. I’m not so sure that she is concerned about the volume of traffic heading west from Tete Jaune Cache, nor should she be!
Traffic volumes west of Prince George are far, far greater than traffic volumes east to Tete Jaune. I travel that route towards Alberta and seldom do I see much traffic until Tete Jeane.
I can see the need for twinning west towards Rupert, but I’d much rather see more twinning on 97 South before twinning of 16 East!
slinky–When I got my last hydro bill it looks like I am already paying for highways.
Move to Ontario and you will think you are paying for the entire Trans Canada
Trudeau’s plan is to have pension funds pay for bridges and highways paid for by tolls much like the Coke.
Maybe a toll road to Alberta with the booths collecting at Jasper as you have to stop there anyways to tell them what your business is in the park
As Highway 16 is partially federal, they could surely chip in. I think the most important piece to upgrade would Prince George to Vanderhoof always a lot of traffic.
On Friday afternoons the number of nut cases heading east from the Vanderhoof area to PG is unbelievable. Absolutely the most dangerous time of the week to travel on this section of Hwy 16.
No Money left, T2 gave over 600 Mil to some 3rd World Issue and we keep on driving on our 2 Lane HWY16,sharing it with many Nutbars (N) passing you on
the right or left at 140 +,just another Day at the Zoo to survive !Made it Home again.
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