Highway 3 twinning project spurs Grassy Lake access concerns

David Woodruff, who lives just outside the hamlet, would like to see better access than what is being proposed, and has started a petition.

One key concern is being able to easily head east towards Medicine Hat.

“There’s an elevator there, a fuel station, a seed cleaning plant, and there’s how many new businesses coming up on the north, and built on the north side of Grassy Lake,” Woodruff said.

“Those people going west, no problem. But going east, there’s no access unless they go past the school.”

With the only proposed paved access south of Grassy Lake going through a school zone, there is concern there will be an unnecessary increase in traffic to the area, especially semi-trailers.

Woodruff would like to see an adjustment made to allow for traffic to merge from the existing Highway 3 heading east, instead of traffic having to travel south first.

On the west side of Grassy Lake the concern is having a semi getting up to speed from a stop heading towards Lethbridge, with the preference from Woodruff to utilize the existing highway to make an access to get up to speed.

“Every trucker I’ve talked to said, oh yeah, if they leave that in place, we can be up the top end of the transmission before we merge with the traffic that’s coming,” Woodruff said.

“They can be doing 45, 50 miles an hour, to merge with the other traffic,” he said.

“Way safer than pulling away from a stop sign, making a hard right turn and then start going through your gears.”

Woodruff feels that safety and convenience would both benefit from allowing better access into and out of the community of Grassy Lake.

The Highway 3 twinning project aims to improve safety and access to large swathes of southern Alberta.

Seven Persons residents gave their take on the project in September ahead of planned twinning between the hamlet and Medicine Hat.

by Jesse Gill

Highway 3 twinning project spurs Grassy Lake access concerns

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