A two-vehicle collision that resulted in a woman in her late 70s being flown to Foothills Hospital in serious condition on Monday is raising questions about the safety of the intersection at Highway 22 and Big Hill Springs Road.
With 23 collisions at the intersection in a five-year period between 2010 and 2014, the Alberta Ministry of Transportation has identified the intersection as a priority.
“The department has studied the intersection and we want to put a roundabout in there eventually but it is (currently) not funded,” said Jamie Friesen with the Alberta Ministry of Transportation.
STARS air ambulance was called on July 3 at 3 p.m. to the Highway 22 and Big Hill Springs Road intersection after an ambulance responded to a T-bone collision between a truck and SUV, each vehicle was occupied by only the driver.
The driver of the SUV, a woman in her 70s, required extrication from her vehicle and was treated by ground paramedics at the scene for possible head injuries, several soft tissue injuries and a “concern” for an arm fracture before being flown by STARS.
The driver of the truck only sustained minor injuries.
Studies show roundabouts have a number of safety benefits including more than 90 per cent reduction in fatalities, 80 per cent reduction in injuries and 40 per cent reduction in the total number of crashes.
The roundabout has yet to be put on the unfunded capital project list.
RCMP members are currently investigating the cause of the Monday collision.
FACTBOX
Between 2010 – 2014 there have been 23 collisions (non-animal related) at the Highway 22 and Big Hill Springs Road intersection.
In that time frame there was:
0 fatal collisions
2 with major injuries
9 with minor injuries
The remaining collisions only resulted in property damage.
