Rhino’s Ramblings - Red, Yellow, Green And Go
By Robert Thomas Opinion/Commentary
It isn’t very often I have to give a disclaimer on a column I write.
A disclaimer that somewhere down the line I have a personal interest or been personally involved with an issue at some time during my life.
For this column I have to be up front and say yes the subject of this column is something in the past I have been involved in.
The subject is the most read story I wrote in the past week that is the proposed traffic lights at the intersection of 9th Avenue NW and the Trans Canada Highway.
Something I will be honest about and say that I was a citizen member of the traffic committee when the issue came up for the umpteenth time.
The reason it came up at the committee is for the first time the Province had allowed traffic lights to be erected on the Trans Canada to access the then proposed Global Transportation Hub (GTH).
The reasoning was since the Ministry had broken its ban of traffic lights on the Trans Canada Highway at the GTH that why couldn’t it be done at Moose Jaw.
At that time Administration of the day said that it was something that never was going to fly but the Province would go for photo radar.
In some ways I can say personally I felt it was an option Administration favoured.
It’s something I agreed with as it was next best thing out there and the committee went along with.
Traffic lights at an intersection that had had some serious accidents and deaths were something that wasn’t going to happen.
All I can add is that photo radar at the intersection was a major cash cow for the City until a couple of years ago.
At that time the Province took away the lion’s share of fines from the City and redistributed them throughout the province.
Fast forward to last week’s regular meeting of Council and in a question from Councillor Crystal Froese about the intersection and the traffic study on the Trans Canada corridor.
Director of engineering Bevan Harlton stated the Ministry had not responded on the corridor study but was looking at traffic lights but only as a pre-concept.
After years where did that come from?
Engineer Harlton said the City was interested in having traffic signals for two reasons one of which included potential development north of the intersection.
“It is an intersection that is important to the city both that it connects to South Hill and 15 Wing as well we are attempting to advance development north of that location as well,” he said.
On the face of it all it looks like finally after decades the “death trap” of an intersection is about to have traffic lights.
It’s something the majority of readers who commented on the story in MJ Independent or sent an email to us about the traffic lights fully endorsed.
A seemingly political winner - well at least in the city.
But as I always say you have to look at the entire statement from Administration.
One reason Engineer Harlton gave was the future development north of the intersection the City wants to advance.
In my opinion it doesn’t take much of a rocket scientist to figure out the dirt trail on the road allowance to the north is the shortest route to the proposed new landfill.
Could it be the City was behind the installation of traffic lights at the “death trap” of an intersection to allow garbage trucks a quicker and more direct route to the proposed dump?
One needs to look at the route most discussed and that is heading out to the proposed new landfill on Highway #2.
The thing is accessing the landfill via Highway #2 also means some of the more efficient routes hauling the trash out to the landfill is on Main Street.
Not something designed to draw the tourists.
Going north on a newly developed road to the proposed new landfill from the intersection of the Trans Canada and 9th Avenue NW would eliminate this.
Now does that sound like a conspiracy?
But is it?
I managed to track down some of the opponents of the proposed new landfill and is not just a possibility but in their opinions the real reason why the City is moving to get the Province to install traffic lights.
They point to the City never stating they won’t be building a road down the dirt trail presently on the road allowance.
Think about it.
Could it be when safety concerns were raised a dozen years ago about the intersection nothing was done but now that a proposed landfill is involved they are?
Worse yet for the opponents of the proposed landfill claim there is more going on than meets the eye.
And that is their belief the City is looking at or decided in the long term that the city yards will be moved north of intersection as well.
Would that not be another major justification for traffic lights if to the north of the intersection if it connected to a developed roadway?
Now I was not there but claims have been made by landfill opponents that when they cornered Administration on the issue and after a lot of back and forth were told “anything is possible.”
Now you have to wrap this up with the hurrahs from residents who have been asking for traffic lights at the intersection for literally decades.
It all seems like a package all wrapped up with a nice red ribbon in their opinion.
If you want to play politics and seem to be altruistic at the same time this is pure genius.
It seems like a major benefit at the same time something controversial you are after gets a major hidden boost.
It’s a conspiracy theory that makes a lot of sense.
Now I personally don’t care what the final outcome is about the location for a new landfill.
It has to go somewhere.
What I do care about is that all options are looked at and explored.
In the end Council and the community fairly hears all of the options and in the end decides upon the best proposal.
The sad thing in all of this - and that is where my initial disclaimer came in - I think back about this issue when it came before the committee over a decade ago and how we were turned down.
It was a non-seller at the time and it seems largely ignored that is until a new garbage dump came along.
Rhino’s Ramblings is an opinion column.
It is NOT a news article but looks at the issues and hopefully helps get people thinking and examining the issues.
We encourage our readers to do your own research and remember we all live in a country where it’s legal for the most part have your own personal beliefs.
If your views differ or you wish to respond write us at moosejawnews@gmail.com .