1,200 vehicles pass through 881 slowdown event

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Oct 4, 2012 at 1:22 pm in News by tyler.king

The Fort McMurray First Nation says about twelve hundred vehicles came through its Highway 881 slowdown event yesterday.

First Nation CEO Brad Calihoo says the vast majority were very receptive to their message.

“It turned into something above and beyond what we expected,” he said. “We had so many motorists just share stories. The most touching story I can speak of is – the third vehicle through, a young gentlemen spoke about how his parents were killed on 63. What more could be said?”

Calihoo says now they need some of those drivers to call the local MLA.

“Just think about it – if 10% contact [Fort McMurray-Conklin MLA] Don Scott, that’s 120 emails or phone calls,” said Calihoo. “I think the message is loud and clear, and it’ll come through.”

The First Nation wants the highway on the government’s three year construction plan, to straighten out curves and make it safer.

Calihoo says they won’t stop now.

“We’ve requested a meeting with the Minister of Transportation [Ric McIver]; we haven’t heard back from them yet,” he said. “November 13th, we have a meeting with the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. We’ll keep working through the Willow Lake Traffic group; we’ll keep working with industry.”

There’ve been four deaths on 881 since July.

October 4, 2012

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