In a letter to the editor published Friday, Edmonton resident B.H. Alloway questioned the Alberta government's pilot project that raises speed limits on major divided highways from 110 km/h to 120 km/h. Alloway asked what criteria will be used to judge the pilot's success, specifically wondering about increases in fatalities or collisions, drivers exceeding the new limit, and whether the pilot will extend into winter months when black ice is a hazard.
Alloway assumed the province has collected baseline data for comparison and expressed interest in seeing comprehensive results. However, the writer expressed skepticism, suggesting the premier might simply decide based on a superficial impression.
Separately, Lois Halls wrote about downtown Edmonton's dysfunction, arguing that the only effective solution is a tough approach similar to New York's under a former mayor, with police on every corner and zero tolerance for beggars, homeless, and other issues. Halls noted that after that mayor left, the situation reverted to unsafe conditions.
Jeffrey Van Dyke criticized the city's handling of the historic Stovel Block, purchased 20 years ago for restoration but now a neglected site for addicts sleeping on narrow sidewalks. Van Dyke highlighted safety hazards, including people lying near traffic and a street fire near the wooden building, and noted that visitors to the Royal Alberta Museum must navigate around these individuals, creating a poor impression and stigmatizing the area.
The newspaper welcomes letters to the editor, with a preferred maximum of 150 words, requiring full name and contact information.
