Once again our civic leaders have betrayed their trust with the citizens and taxpayers of Red Deer. The decision to “re-work” 32nd Street is at best a short-term band-aid fix that will cost far more than it will be worth.
Why not either finish the Molly Banister extension or extend 22nd Street through to Gaetz Avenue?
In the recent past, the city has created the communities of Lancaster, Vanier Woods, Inglewood and developed Anders much larger than it was. Yet with the lack of long-range planning, I have come to expect from our city leaders there has been no attempt to improve the existing east-west access or add another east-west access route.
As well, the traffic problems that will be caused by making the changes to 32nd Street are going to be monumental. I expect that it could become a study in what it takes to create road rage between the drivers of this city.
Another very simple way to improve the traffic flow would be to co-ordinate the traffic lights. Lights down 32nd Street, 30th Avenue and Ross Street are an exercise in frustration. Especially during rush hours, it should not be a requirement to stop at almost every traffic light as happens now.
It is time that our city council and mayor realized that tax collection is not a bank account to fund their pet projects.
And note that I haven’t mentioned the wonderful and timely snow removal that we see every year when we have any kind of snow fall.
Ron Olney
Red Deer