Editor:
In regards to the Outlook’s Feb. 2, 2023 story “Fatality forces closure of Highway 93 South”.
Highway 93 south through Kootenay National Park, as well as 93 North – also known as the Icefields Parkway – seem like ideal candidates for average speed cameras as a mitigation strategy to reduce collisions.
Unlike photo radar or speed-display signs, which may induce a temporary slowdown, average speed cameras record vehicle speeds at two points and can then calculate travel time and average speed from Point A to Point B.
It doesn't matter how fast you’re going when you pass by the first camera, or how fast you're going when you pass by the second camera. If your average speed over the stretch of roadway in between the cameras exceeds the speed limit, you get a ticket in the mail.
These cameras have been used extensively elsewhere in the world and are proven to reduce speeding and accidents. In our national parks, it could also help advance Parks Canada's goals related to ecological integrity by possibly reducing collisions with wildlife.
Tim Johnson,
Canmore
