But over the years, development and design changes have changed the stated speed so much that drivers have to slow down and speed up every few clicks to deal with the posted limits between 70 and 110 km/h. The last switch is just after the Stoney Trail junction. Rocky View County had asked Alberta Transportation to address safety concerns on the short stretch of highway. Some drivers believe this piecemeal approach to road safety is distracting, increases commute times and can do more harm than good. “I hadn’t actually been through it yet, but the next day I did and I thought, ‘this is ridiculous, like, absolutely ridiculous,’” Conrich resident Shelley Innes said. “There is no need for this speed reduction for this small section of road. It makes no sense. It makes it harder to get on and off this freeway.” 110 km/h is now reduced to 80 — a limit that lasts about three kilometers before returning to 110. This change of gear cost Innes and others extra travel time. She said it takes her 10 to 20 minutes to get onto the Trans-Canada now because of the traffic backup. Rocky View County’s business executive said the request came from residents in Cambridge Estates. The community has access to Highway 1 from a rural road that crosses the highway. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen quite a few accidents at this intersection, some very serious, some minor,” Byron Riemann said. After a council discussion, Rocky View asked the province last December to lower the speed limit and Alberta Transportation obliged. New signs have recently been posted.
Chestermere resident supports change
Drivers noticed the change almost immediately and it became the talk of local Facebook groups. But Chestermere resident Tom Dekker hopes those keys can become a reality. He sees ever-changing speed limits on the Trans-Canada as a policy failure. “We know what the gold rule for freeways is: it’s uneven interchanges,” Dekker said. “Are we going to commit to the work that needs to be done to make the stretch as safe as possible? Or are we going to continue to implement these interim solutions? And if we’re going to do these interim solutions, let’s make sure we’re looking at the entire network.” Dekker hopes commuters contact their elected officials to voice concerns about speed changes on Highway 1. Dekker said he would contact Transport Minister Prasad Panda.
