ICBC has released annual data revealing the most dangerous intersections in the Elk Valley for crashes.
As expected, the 2021 data showed that Highway 3 is where the culprit intersections are in Fernie, with all four intersections with more than one crash being intersections on the Highway.
9th Ave and Hwy 3 (the intersection to get to McDonalds, Tim Hortons etc) was the worst, with four crashes recorded in 2021, followed by the intersection with the Highway and Riverside Way (access road to Riverside subdivision) with three crashes, and then the 7th St intersection, and the Dicken Rd intersection - both with two crashes recorded last year.
Another 22 locations within the city recorded one crash each, including another five intersections with the highway. Only one had a recorded injury or fatality.
In total, there were 33 crashes recorded in Fernie in 2021 – down from 51 recorded in 2020.
In neighbouring Sparwood, there were 22 crashes over the year (compared to 28 in 2020), including eight incidents with a recorded injury or fatality. The the top location for crashes was the Highway 3 and Hwy 43 intersection (the turnoff to head to Elkford). Five crashes were reported there.
The second-worst spot in Sparwood was the Hwy 43 and Matevic Rd intersection, followed by two crashes each at the intersection at either end of Aspen Dr – the town’s primary service road for the centre of town.
Compared to its southern neighbours, Elkford was thankfully quiet in 2021, with only four crashes recorded in the entire district, each at a different location. There was only one crash with a recorded injury or fatality. In 2020, there were 11 crashes recorded by ICBC.
There were another five crashes recorded in Elko, with three of them taking place at the Hwy 3 and Hwy 93 intersection, while the Hwy 3 and Bate Ave intersection (which is due to be upgraded with a new turning lane on the Hwy later this year) recorded only a single incident.
Not to be forgotten, Hosmer recorded two crashes.
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scott.tibballs@thefreepress.ca
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