There is a famous saying that when God wants our attention, He throws a pebble. If we don’t notice, He throws a rock. If we still don’t notice, then we just might get hit with the brick. Recently, when I was visiting a farm about eight kilometres east of Elk Point to look at the area which the County of St. Paul recently approved as a designated route for recreational trail users to access Fort George and Buckingham House, I was asked a simple question by Daune Gagne, the cattle owner in the area - do you think this is safe?
I quickly decided that the story was already complicated enough and adding one more dimension to the issue would cause even more confusion, so I said I would just like to remain focused on the issues at hand. The question however continued to nag at my conscience. Is it safe?
The approach is intended to be used by people on quads, horseback or bicycle. Recreational trail users are supposed to cross Highway 646 just past the crest of a hill. There is very limited visibility. I was so bothered by this that I returned to the road on Sunday with my partner Bill McAvoy. After taking a second look at the area, I am very uncomfortable.
Now, we are in no way experts in traffic safety nor are we experts in measuring distances, but using the odometer, we did estimate the distance from where I could see the gate on the approach to the place where it connects to the highway. We estimated the distance was about 200 m and about eight seconds to reach the corner if the vehicle is traveling 100 kilometres an hour. If a person sees a quad or horse crossing the road, does this give sufficient time for him/her to stop? What about a semi hauling a loaded trailer?
There are many big trucks that drive along this highway. Some of these drivers have probably driven this route for years and may not be aware that there is a change of a new multiuse trail crossing. They are not likely expecting to see a quad or a horseback rider crossing the road in what appears to be the middle of a farm.
I brought the question up to Marianne Price, with the Riverland Trail Society, and she said that the society is in the process of posting signs at a number of places where the trail crosses highways, including this one. But this has gotten bogged down by government red tape because the province does not have a multiuse trail crossing sign. She expects that the signs will be available next year.
Price explained that the approach to the highway was built up by the County of St. Paul, with the approval of the Department of Transport, to provide trail users with better visibility. The approach is now level to the highway. Price said that the Department of Transport would not have approved the project if it was not safe.
The responsibility is on the driver of the quad to make sure it is safe to cross the highway. Is a young person sensible enough to know that when they are crossing and there is a hill that there may be a truck that they can not see on the other side? Will they know that they have to pause and double check before they start across?
I do know that two calves have been killed very close to this crossing and I can’t help but wonder if it is a sign. Is God throwing pebbles at us to let us know that this is not safe?