Fort McMurray Forum

Wildrose renews call for concrete twinning timeline for 63

Alberta's Wildrose Party fuming over the lack of a concrete timeline for the twinning of Highway 63.

While the Official Opposition applauded interim safety measures announced yesterday, MLA Shayne Saskiw says it doesn't go far enough.

"To say that this PC Government is twinning at a snail's pace would be a compliment to them," said Saskiw. "What we need is a concrete timeline. Specifically how may years it's going to take, how they're going to do it, so that we can hold them to account in future years if they don't hit their targets."

Meanwhile, Tory Transportation Minister Ric McIver says the province is committed to safety.

"We are adding more passing lanes, we're adding rest stops, we're adding speed warning signs, we're adding police officers, we've had safety blitzes to write more tickets, we're doing education to the public to get the word out that people need to drive slower," said McIver. "I think most of your listeners would be hard pressed to name another safety initiative to put in place that we have not already put in place."

The government unveiled yesterday that 16 new officers would be stationed on the highway by 2013, including four by August.

Digital signs displaying drivers' speed will also be installed.