Residents in Parkland County are urging for enhanced safety measures following the fourth fatal accident on Highway 627 near Edmonton in the last year. The recent incident involved a 69-year-old motorcyclist colliding with a pickup truck between Range Road 273 and Range Road 274.
According to Parkland RCMP, there have been 38 reported accidents on Highway 627 in the past year, with five fatalities resulting from four of these collisions. Concerned citizen Robert Oliver, a retired veteran, highlighted the need for improved safety measures, pointing out the lack of advanced green lights at various intersections and the issue of speeding by drivers.
Expressing his concerns for the safety of his family and other residents, Oliver reached out to the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors twice, specifically advocating for advanced green lights at the Highway 627 and Highway 60 intersection. Tragically, a collision at this intersection on July 16 claimed the lives of a 69-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman from Stony Plain.
Kevin McGillivray, the detachment commander at Parkland RCMP, noted an increase in fatal collisions on Highway 627 compared to the previous year. In response to this concerning trend, law enforcement agencies are collaborating to enhance highway enforcement measures, particularly on Highway 627, to address the rising number and severity of accidents.
The Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors expressed condolences to the affected families and affirmed their commitment to working closely with policing partners to investigate the recent collisions. They indicated a forthcoming review of RCMP findings to identify potential safety improvements for Highway 627 and its intersections.