Alberta stays course on doubling deadly highway

Recent deaths spur public outcry

EDMONTON — The Alberta government will not step up the pace to twin Highway 63 in spite of increased pressure from Albertans and political opponents after seven people died Friday in a head-on collision.

Deputy Premier Doug Horner said this week that the province is moving as fast as it can, given the challenges of building a safe highway on muskeg, environmental concerns and the need to keep the highway open for business.

“We’ve got about 110 kilometres of the 255 kilometres already cleared, we’ve got 36 kilometres ready to go this year,” Horner said Monday. “Is pouring more money at it going to make it faster? I’m not sure that’s the case.”

The fiery crash Friday killed a Fort Mcmurray pastor, his wife and one of their two young sons. Travelling with them was a man and his pregnant wife. She died in the crash. He remains in hospital. Three died in the other vehicle.

Forty-six people have died on the highway since 2006.

Roughly 19 km south of Fort Mcmurray has been twinned, while the province hopes to have another 36-km section north of Wandering River paved by fall 2013.

That leaves 185 km to be twinned, a project expected to cost at least $1 billion.

By Monday, nearly 11,000 people had signed an online petition at change. org, urging the government to twin the highway.

Official Opposition Leader Danielle Smith said that if the province continues at its current rate, the highway won’t be twinned for seven years. She questioned the government’s motivation and priorities.

The highway is often referred to as the deadliest in the province, but Alberta Transportation spokeswoman Heather Kaszuba said Monday that the road’s collision rate is lower than average.