Whitecourt Town Council briefs
Feb. 26 meeting
Whitecourt Town Council approved the implementation of traffic calming measures along 55 Avenue to enhance pedestrian and traffic safety. In response to concerns received regarding traffic congestion and pedestrian safety, the Town of Whitecourt recently completed a traffic study that focused on traffic patterns between the north and south intersections of 55 Avenue with Mink Creek Road. The study concluded that:
• Traffic speeds are not a concern, with most drivers travelling between 32-48 kilometers per hour (below the 50 kilometers per hour speed limit).
• Collisions in the area are low, with no vehicle-pedestrian accidents between 2015 and 2018.
• Volumes exceed the design capacity. Long term plans include the extension of 52 Avenue to McIlwaine Drive, which will offer an alternate route for vehicles and should decrease the amount of traffic utilizing 55 Avenue. To address safety along this road, the following traffic calming measures will be implemented in 2019: 1.
Extend the no-parking zone along 55 Avenue and Atkinson Crescent intersection to increase visibility of the cross-walk to ensure that the stopping sight distances and turning sight distances are maintained.
Contact Canada Post to inquire if the mailbox at 55 Avenue and Atkinson Crescent can be relocated.
Add a no-parking zone along the northern portion of the Mink Creek Road extension cul-desac.
Increase enforcement of parallel parking bylaws along the Mink Creek Road extension cul-de-sac.
Change the yield sign at the 55 Avenue and Atkinson Crescent intersection to a stop sign due to the amount of traffic recorded along 55 Avenue. Add a zebra line crosswalk to the east side of the intersection of 55 Avenue and Mink Creek Road to increase visibility of this crosswalk.
Add pedestrian crossing signs along Mink Creek Road to increase awareness of the crosswalk. Council has adopted the 2019 Whitecourt Strategic Plan. The Plan identifies goals and initiatives for the year, and assists with the scheduling of projects. To complement the overall municipal Plan, an Economic Development Strategic Plan has also been adopted to guide initiatives and projects for this function. Both documents are available to view on www.whitecourt.ca.
Whitecourt has completed a Sprinkler Deployment Plan and will be implementing the Plan this spring and summer. The Plan outlines placement of forestry type sprinklers and water lines around the hilltop residential perimeter to allow for quick deployment to protect structures and critical infrastructure in the case of a wind driven wildfire. The project was completed with funding support from the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA), and in partnership with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.
A Special Meeting of Council is scheduled for Monday, April 1 at 5 p.m. to review the 2019 Budget. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at the Forest Interpretive Centre.