Safety upgrades being considered for site of fatal collision

Deadly collision prompting calls for change There are calls to upgrade an intersection in Rocky View County, after a fiery crash on Friday of last week killed four people.

Following a collision east of Calgary on Friday that killed four people, there are calls to upgrade the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 564.

The collision occurred at 10 a.m., about 15 kilometres east of Calgary.

According to RCMP, a grain truck southbound on Highway 9 collided with an SUV that rolled into its path from a stop sign on Highway 564.

Four occupants of the SUV – a man and woman from Calgary and a man and woman from the Philippines – were killed.

The truck driver suffered minor injuries.

Barbara Emde, a frequent traveller on the road, witnessed the crash.

She described the intersection as so busy that collisions seem inevitable.

"You gotta be cautious on this one, for sure, because people blow the stop sign," Emde said.

"They think they've got time to get across."

RCMP say they do not track crash statistics by intersection but acknowledged responding to serious collisions at this location previously.

Crosses marking previous fatal crashes are staked into the ditch.

Emde called for improvements to enhance the safety of drivers on both Highway 9 and Highway 564, which passes through the hamlet of Delacour before turning into Country Hills Boulevard as it enters Calgary.

"There's a lot of semis running the highway. You've got people coming here from Irricana and Beiseker and then Strathmore to go down the road (564) and they're all going toward Calgary," Emde said.

"Maybe do something like widen the road or an overpass or a roundabout. Anything to slow this section of road down."

Rocky View County says the two highways are provincial roads and not its responsibility.

Alberta's transportation ministry says some improvements have been made, including safety and traffic-calming measures, citing the installation of red-light flashers, rumble strips and "stop sign ahead" signs, as well as painted messaging on the road.

The ministry says the intersection has been identified for a roundabout to further enhance safety, and that will be considered as it develops its upcoming capital plan.