5 December 2006
Council Will Fund Railway Upgrade
Lacombe Alberta - Traffic lights will go up sooner rather
than later at the dangerous intersection in Lacombe that claimed the life of a teen last month. Council unanimously voted in favour of
paying $250,000 for the railway crossing improvements themselves instead of waiting for funding from Transport Canada.
"It's most unfortunate that it takes a tragedy of this magnitude to move this work forward," Mayor Judy Gordon said at the
regular meeting 27 Nov 2006.
But she added that council was unaware they could proceed with the railway safety improvements by funding it themselves.
"It just recently came to our attention that we could advance this project," she said.
The town received $275,000 in provincial grant funding from Alberta Transportation this past August to install traffic lights at the
intersection of Hwy 2A and Woodlands/Wolf Creek Dr.
But the town was waiting for funding from Transport Canada to cover the cost of having the railway crossing at the intersection
synchronized with the traffic lights. Under the federal government's Canada Grade Crossing Improvement Program, Transport Canada would
pay 80 percent of the railway safety improvements, with the town kicking in 12 percent and the railway eight percent. The safety
improvements include two short arm gates and a constant warning device installed.
Mayor Gordon said the town just found out this past September they could proceed - instead of waiting for funding - with the railway
upgrades. Since then, council has discussed the issue behind closed doors.
Paul Deleske, spokesperson for the town of Lacombe said in a prepared statement, "The town added the project to its 2007 budget
discussions, which began in October and will conclude in December."
Ed Greenberg, spokesperson for Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) said the upgrades should be completed in spring of 2007.
"Our officials have begun the design work to begin the process of replacing the existing railway control equipment at that
crossing in addition to synchronizing the lights and bells with the traffic lights and there will be gates installed at that
crossing," he said in a phone interview from his Calgary office Thursday.
The town has worked on upgrading this intersection since 2001 and it was identified as the number one priority in the town's Street
Development Plan.
"It is no secret this has been a concern of this council for a long time," said Coun. Jim
Dixon.
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