Vanderhoof Mayor Gerry Thiessen says a letter from a resident concerned about a busy section of Highway 16 has spurred council to action.
“We received a letter from someone who was involved in a serious accident so we are going to have staff prepare a brief on it, do an analysis on it, that we can bring to the Ministry of Transportation and present our case for why that section of the highway needs to be expanded.”
The section is question is located about 3 km west of Vanderhoof. According to the letter, which was also sent to MLA John Rustad, local RCMP have recorded 20 accidents along that stretch of highway since 2011.
Thiessen says the road sees more traffic than two lanes can safely support.
“It’s an area that requires another lane, a passing lane of some type. Years ago, when a study was first done on it, we certainly didn’t have the number of businesses that we currently have out there.”
He says a combination of factors have increased the amount of traffic on the highway.
“Not only do we have the saw mill but we have the pellet plant and quite a number of residential owners that live on Campbell Road.”
Here’s the letter the was sent to Vanderhoof Council:
