It is the road that leads to the riches of the oilsands but it is increasingly paved in misery. Highway 63 links Fort McMurray to Edmonton and has a reputation as one of the most dangerous stretches of road in Alberta and arguably the country. That narrow ribbon of road and it is narrow has been the scene of many horrific head-on collisions, the latest this past Friday. And an increasingly angry and growing group of Albertans is asking why such accidents keep happening.

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Part One of The Current

Satire

It's Monday April 30th.

A US court has sided with four mothers who challenged Nutella's claim that it's a healthy 'part of a balanced breakfast.'

Currently, the mothers now plan to go after Lucky Charms for not really being magically delicious.

This is the Current.

Alberta Highway 63

If you saw the pictures of that fiery crash on Highway 63 in northern Alberta Friday, you know how horrific it must have been. Seven people were killed in a head-on collision when one pickup truck veered into the oncoming lane while attempting to pass.

Among the dead, pastor Shannon Wheaton, who worked at the Family Christian Centre in Fort McMurray. His wife, Trena, and their two year old son, Ben, also died. The Wheaton's three year old son, Timothy, is in hospital. The Wheatons were originally from Newfoundland.

Gary Andrews worked with Shannon Wheaton at the Windsor Pentecostal Church in Grand Falls Windsor. We heard from him. And Jessica Roy with the Plamondon Volunteer Fire Department was one of the first responders on the scene. We also heard from her.

Highway 63 is notorious for deadly crashes. It is a two-lane highway with a high volume of industrial traffic, big trucks hauling huge equipment north to the oilsands. And coming south -- workers just off shift, eager to make the 450 kilometre trip to Edmonton as quickly as possible. 46 people died on the highway between 2005 and 2009. It's been nicknamed the "highway of death". The Alberta government promised to twin the highway back in 2006, but so far only 33 kilometres have been completed.

On Friday night right after this latest accident, Theresa Wells sat down at her computer and wrote an open letter to Premier Alison Redford. Ms. Wells is a writer who lives with her family in Fort McMurray who posts a regular blog called McMurray Musings. Her letter to the premier is a plea to get Highway 63 twinned as soon as possible, no matter what the cost. Theresa Wells was at home in Fort McMurray this morning.

Alberta Highway 63 - MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo

The number of deaths and injuries on Highway 63 was a hot topic on doorsteps in Fort McMurray during the provincial election campaign. Mike Allen won the seat in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo for the Progressive Conservatives, beating the incumbent Wildrose Party member. He is a former city councillor and president of the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce who has called for a speedier twinning of Highway 63 in the past. Now Mike Allen is becoming part of the government he once lobbied. Mike Allen joined us from Fort McMurray.

There's now a protest planned in Fort McMurray this coming Saturday May 5th to call for the twinning of highway 63 and to remember the crash victims.

This segment was produced by The Current's Josh Bloch and Edmonton Network Producer, Gillian Rutherford.

Other segments from today's show:

Sudan's border in a state of emergency

Staking claims in Space