Despite concerns that some semi trucks are having a difficult time coming to a halt when the lights changed at the Van Horne and Victoria Avenue intersection, advanced warning lights won't be coming.
In May, Cranbrook heard from a concerned resident that said that sometimes loaded semis have a difficult time stopping.
The resident wondered if advanced warning lights might be an option, since they signal that the lights will change ahead of time.
City council decided to send a letter to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and received a response at the June 9 council meeting.
"The Ministry has evaluated the above intersection and it is satisfied that the signal heads are clearly visible in both directions with more than ample sight distances," wrote Coenraad Fourie, district transport engineer for the Rocky Mountain District. "The particular intersection is one of many such on the Highway 3/95 corridor though Cranbrook, which is a low speed, urban arterial, where signalized intersections are expected to occur."
Fourie wrote that the use of advanced warning signals are limited to cases where the primary traffic light is not visible from a sufficient distance to allow drivers to stop in time.
"The use is also generally limited to high-speed, rural, isolated intersections where the signalized intersection may be unexpected or where there may be sight distance issues," he wrote.
"The Ministry respectfully declines the request," noted Mayor Wayne Stetski. "We were asked to ask, and we have the response, which is no."