Highway 63

[Switch]

How many of us have travelled Highway 63 be it for sledding, hunting or for work, I have driven Highway 63 countless times up to Fort Mac for work and and best its a terriable road. Large loads, logging trucks and people just in too much of a hurry and taking stupid chances. Today it hit me like a ton of bricks when I phoned a good friend of mine up to see how work was going on up there. He told me is was a bad day after being involved in a serious car accident, He was traveling south on 63 going towards the Opti Nexen site and just a ways out of Fort Mcmurray a car going North bound lost control and crosssd the center line and they collided. My friend was very lucky as the car struck him behind the cab portion of his truck, the impact split the car in two and both vehicles were written off. My friend walked away from the accident while the riders in the other vehicle were injured.
We all have to slow down and drive for the conditions and not be in such a damn hurry all the time to get some where, with the long weekend in May coming up we all are wanting to get to the Lake, out favorite fishing hole or quadding spot, slow down and enjoy the ride and smell the roses.

 

[catmando]

A few years back I used to haul stuff up there about twice a week and I completly know what your talking about.The only way they will ever solve the problem is by twinning the highway.Driving that highway is like russian roulette even if your driving safely and abidding by the rules!
catmando!
Glad your friend is alright!

 

[Summiteer]

A few years back I used to haul stuff up there about twice a week and I completly know what your talking about.The only way they will ever solve the problem is by twinning the highway.Driving that highway is like russian roulette even if your driving safely and abidding by the rules!
catmando!
Glad your friend is alright!

They should twin the train tracks to Fort Mac instead of the highway, haul all the workers and most of the freight by train, save hundreds of thousands of gallons of deisel and kill alot less people each year.
Ditto about your friend

 

[ZRrrr]

It's a highway of death! People always in a big, big hurry.....SLOW DOWN! It isn't going to get any better over the next few years.

Excellent suggestion summiteer.

 

[Scotty]

Last december, my brother's boss was traveling home from Fort Mac late at night and was the first one to come upon a head on collision between an Escallade and another suv on that hiway... both drivers passed away on the seen unfortunately. He was traumatised by the whole thing for a long time. Something needs to change in a hurry, there's enough tax money in AB to build a bigger and better hiway.. the sooner the better.

 

[snochuk]

I had driven almost 800,000KM on 63 and have seen the number of white crosses grow on the side of the rode and some of them were people I knew from work. In a hurry, excess speed for conditions and moose were factors in the accidents. I've been back 3 years and hope to never go back to that h*ll hole(no offense to those who live there) but with my job this is not a reality. There are plans for me to go back in about a year for a three year job. With the money that comes out of the north the govt should be charged with criminal neglagence for not having 63 twined. What has the cost been to the families of those killed or permanently dissabled....you would be shocked at how many there are.

 

[ZRrrr]

Media used to report on the accidents that happened on that highway. There are so many they don't bother anymore. It's all word of mouth about all the accidents....and there are plenty!

 

[poppajon]

I'm up here at Long Lake Opti-Nexen right now, I saw that car tore in half...scarry as he!! I think they should leave that car on the side of the road as a reminder to the idiots that it can happen anytime!! I travel between Lloyd and Anzac a few times a month and have seen too many bad ones...they can't get that road twined fast enough.

 

[steveo]

I have lost a few friends and my brother in law due to someone elses stupidity.....if people would only slow down.

 

[j335]

I'm up here at Long Lake Opti-Nexen right now, I saw that car tore in half...scarry as he!! I think they should leave that car on the side of the road as a reminder to the idiots that it can happen anytime!! I travel between Lloyd and Anzac a few times a month and have seen too many bad ones...they can't get that road twined fast enough.

Why don't you use 881 by Lac La Biche????

 

[Billy Boy]

Threre are a few hi-ways that are an embarassment to this province considering the wealth that is oozing from the provincial coffers. The two hi-ways that need attention ASAP are hi-way 63 & hi-way 2 (between Edmonton and Calgary, needs to be triple laned and proper entrance and egress points) just maybe when we get safer hi-ways accident rates will go down causing less stress on the health care system???

Billy Boy

 

[poppajon]

Why don't you use 881 by Lac La Biche????

I use both highways, depending on where I'm going, 881 is far better, I agree!

 

[steveo]

Another crash on hwy 63 just north of Boyle today. 2 more people got killed when a rig jack knifed and took out 3 cars.........again when travelling hwy 63 take your time and don't travell on fridays due to shift changes.

 

[badmonkey]

Another crash on hwy 63 just north of Boyle today. 2 more people got killed when a rig jack knifed and took out 3 cars.........again when travelling hwy 63 take your time and don't travell on fridays due to shift changes.

thanks.........sure glad I chose not to go work up north anymore. really feel bad for the folks that have to travel that road

 

[TrailCrusader]

Highway 63 strikes a nerve with me. I could care less if they never twin it. (I do not wish harm on anyone that drives it safely). I do not work in Fort Mac and never will. A very small percentage of the population is affected by HWY 63 so it should not get much attention but rather more law enforcement. I am sure the traffic ticket revenue could pay for a cop every 5 miles.

Maybe the Alberta government is waiting for NewfoundLand to pay their portion of the costs.

Fort MacMurray is the reason my kids may never be able to afford a house in our native province because of the distant workers that it draws to the region escalating costs for all of us. With living costs getting higher and higher this province will not be attractive to move to and then Saskatchewan can begin a useless boom.



Don't get mad because it is just my opinion and not the

 

[Bruteskeg]

I hate 63, every time I drove this highway to Fort mackay there were smashed up cash trucks, I remember seen the Highway shut down we wear stoped on the Hightway it was just befor Christmas when that Bus and Semi collided, Nutts.... Seen a mini van split in half that collided with a pick up truck, cars and trucks upside down....... Gusse thats why they call it the newfeey 500 .......

 

[steveo]

but if you notice alot of the accident involve semi trucks....... example today my sister was on the hwy and roads were all icy and the big rigs passing doing 110 km.The accident today was caused by a rig going to fast and jack knifed and took out 3 cars and kiiled 2 people.They need to twin it and more cops on that raod and ticket the s#$t out of stupid drivers.jmo

 

[teamgreen]

I drive back and forth for work every 4 days, work in Fort Mac for the fire department so I get to see all the carnage between work and travelling the highway to go to Edmonton. Messy situation that should have been addressed years ago