Two people were killed in a crash at a problem intersection in Mayerthorpe Tuesday. RCMP responded to the junction of Highway 43 and Highway 22 a little after 1 p.m. on May 1st.
Police say their initial investigation indicates two women were in a car crossing Highway 43 northbound when it hit a semi tractor trailer heading east. The women aged 67 and 46 succumbed to their injuries from the crash, and the 57 year old man driving the semi wasn’t physically hurt.
Traffic on the highway was detoured for four hours as the scene was cleared. An RCMP collision analyst was part of the ongoing investigation, but RCMP say at this point charges aren’t expected to be laid.
The Highway 43 and Highway 22 intersection has been an issue for collisions, and mounties urged drivers to follow the rules of the road following a pair of crashes last summer. Some drivers tend to stop in the middle of the intersection, yielding for those on the other side with a stop sign and creating congestion. Instead, traffic should complete their turn.
The provincial government announced in October 2017 that signals, better lighting and signage, and wider turn lanes are coming to the junction. That should be done this construction season.