1 May 2007
Feds Fund Railway Upgrade
Lacombe Alberta - The town of Lacombe won't have to fork
out $216,696 they had earmarked for railway upgrades at the Hwy 2A and Wolf Creek Dr intersection that was the scene of a fatal
train-car crash last fall.
"It's done," said Paul Deleske, spokesperson for the town. "It's not a matter of having to come up wit h the money from
our revenues. Were finally lucky we got to the top of the list in a hurry.
"We are thankful for the efforts our new MP made on our behalf," added Deleske.
Wetaskiwin MP Blaine Calkins made the Transport Canada funding announcement Thursday saying, "As a result of Alberta's vibrant
economy and phenomenal growth, there are more cars and more people on our roads adding to the strain on our infrastructure. This
funding will help make our streets safer."
Transport Canada will spend $760,000 this year to improve railway crossings across the province. "We're very pleased that this is
the final confirmation," said Mayor Judy Gordon.
Council had been trying to obtain funding from the federal government since 2001 to upgrade the railway crossing. They already had
$275,000 in provincial grant funding in place from Alberta Transportation since last summer to install the traffic lights at the
dangerous intersection. Before the traffic lights could be installed though, the railway lights had to be synchronized with the
lights.
But, citing safety concerns, council was no longer willing to wait for federal government funding, and last fall had unanimously voted
in favour of footing the bill for the railway improvements themselves.
Under the federal government's Canada Grade Crossing Improvement Program, Transport Canada pays 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.
According to Andrea Rudniski, spokesperson for Transport Canada in Winnipeg, there are 40,000 such railway crossings in Canada and
Transport Canada pays 80 percent of the costs of these improvements at approximately 80 to 100 railway crossings each year.
"We don't fund every single crossing," she said.
Rudniski said funds are allocated based on site safety enhancements that would be most beneficial to the public.
Last fall, there were five accidents at this same busy intersection a week prior to the tragic accident that claimed the life of a
14-year-old Lacombe girl and sent her brother, 16, to hospital with serious injuries.
Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Ray Prins welcomed the funding announcement saying, "It should add to the safety and pleasure of
driving in Lacombe."
The railway crossing upgrades will be completed first, then the traffic lights installed and synchronized with the railway crossing.
"I certainly hope it's up and running by 15 Jun 2007," said Mayor Gordon.
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