Abstract Manager

Parsons has extensive experience working on highway projects in and near rural communities for provincial highways. These projects have provided valuable insight into addressing the unique concerns of rural communities when it comes to transportation infrastructure.

The following considerations will be highlighted:

1. Providing culverts for safe passage across highways is a key consideration for improving roadside safety for rural communities. This is especially important for hunters who may need to cross highways to access hunting grounds. Without safe passage options such as culverts, there is a risk of impact from high-speed vehicles.

2. Ensuring safe crossings for off-road vehicles such as ATVs and snowmobiles is another important consideration. Many unmarked paths are found throughout corridors on rural projects, highlighting the need for designated crossing areas or even design considerations that allow off-road vehicles to cross through long stretches of highway safely. Off-road vehicles such as ATVs or snowmobiles are a mode of transportation in rural communities as they are used to get around, but it can often lead to dangerous crossings at high-speed roadways.

3. Appropriate fencing around highway corridors can also help improve safety by delineating right-of-way boundaries while also directing wildlife to appropriate crossing locations with escape ramps provided if animals find their way onto the roadway corridor, encouraging them to leave rather than cross the road. This will mitigate conflicts between wildlife and vehicles.

By addressing these concerns in highway design and construction projects, we can improve safety not only for rural communities but also all users of these important transportation corridors. Parsons' experience working on these types of projects has allowed us to develop best practices that can be applied across different regions and contexts, ensuring that our infrastructure meets the needs of all users while keeping them safe on our roads.