An uncontrolled intersection at a cul-de-sac on Primrose Drive Southeast is pictured Tuesday afternoon. The city says it has repaired approximately three-quarters of the uncontrolled intersections in Medicine Hat - Photo by Ross Lavigne

By Charles Lefebvre

Uncontrolled intersections

City almost finished fixing uncontrolled intersections

Dec 10, 2019 | 4:31 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The city is making progress on the number of uncontrolled intersections in Medicine Hat.

Back in 2015, city surveyors reviewed all neighbourhoods in Medicine Hat, and found approximately 350 uncontrolled intersections in multiple neighbourhoods.

“Since then, we’ve addressed roughly three-quarters of them over 2016, 2017 and 2018,” said Trevor Funk, operations superintendent with the City of Medicine Hat’s municipal works department.

Uncontrolled intersections are ones which have no traffic lights, signs or road markings to indicate who has the right-of-way for motorists. They are typically found in older neighbourhoods in cities, and in Medicine Hat, have been found in Ross Glen, Crescent Heights or Connaught.

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Uncontrolled intersections include four-way intersections and t-shaped intersections, such as those at the entrance to a cul-de-sac.

“The newer areas, they build intersections with signage in place already,” said Funk.

According to the provincial government, a driver must yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on their right at a four-way intersection.

Funk says fixing the uncontrolled intersections will help improve safety in the city.

“By addressing these intersections, we’re essentially creating consistency and reducing the ambiguity for motorists as they approach these intersections so they know exactly what to do,” he said.

Funk adds, “It reduces risks for motorists and pedestrians alike.”

Funk says it costs the city between $50 and $100 to fix the intersections, depending on the number of signs needed.

Primrose Drive will be the next area to have uncontrolled intersections fixed.

Funk says they plan to have all the intersections fixed by next year.