These days, turning left onto the Alaska Highway from Robert Service Way is a bit of a gamble.
Look right, all you’ll see are snowbanks.
Look left … more snowbanks.
A vigilant driver always checks twice — still snowbanks.
Rendered blind by the snowplowed mountains, drivers nose onto the highway, fingers crossed against the chance they might encounter a speeding tractor trailer.
With the recent record snow, the intersection is dangerous.
If you’re turning left, you can only glimpse the southbound lane once you’re straddling the northbound lane.
If there is a transport barrelling down the highway, a driver has to back up. That is, if the vehicle behind you hasn’t already crept into your spot.
It’s highway roulette.
Throw in icy conditions and blowing snow and the gamble gets riskier.
The intersection has been like this since last week.
Sure, there is a lot of snow this year, but it’s not a new phenomenon in the territory.
Highways and Public Works has the machinery it needs to get rid of snowbanks, especially these manmade dangers blocking visibility at busy Alaska Highway intersections.
It’s hard to understand why the plows left the road this way.
Maybe, sitting up in those big machines, they don’t see a problem.
After pushing snow onto those monstrous banks, the plow drivers look over them for oncoming traffic, then safely make their turn.
If they were driving cars, it might be a different story.
Crews should be dispatched immediately to fix the problem before someone gets killed.