Highway construction is underway all across Alberta right now.
Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney says the province is investing in over 300 capital and highway improvement projects, including some here in our region.
“The primary project is the Peace River bridge deck replacement project and that’s going to be completed in the fall. We are very cognizant of the fact that these projects are vital for our local communities to make sure that we’ve got economic trade corridors and that we’re taking good care of our infrastructure.”
Some of the big projects happening in our region include:
· Highway 40 Twinning from the City of Grande Prairie to the Wapiti river – Road and Bridge Construction started in 2021 and is continuing this year with expected completion 2023. Second phase of the twinning from Wapiti River to Township Road 700 is expected to be tendered later this year.
· Peace River Bridge Deck Rehabilitation and Paving of the Peace River East Hill of Highway 2. Completion is slated for fall of 2022.
· Highway 58 East of High Level to the Junction of Highway 88 – Pavement rehabilitation and intersection improvements to be completed this fall
· Replacements of the Boyer River and Wabasca River Bridges on Highway 88 – starting this summer with expected completion of 2024 for both projects.
· Bridge Deck replacement of the Smoky River Bridge on Highway 43 east of Bezanson – completion this year
· Bridge Deck replacement of the Little Smoky River Bridge on Highway 49 – Completion this year. Region staff are currently working with the local municipality (M.D. of Smoky River) and local farmers to time project start up and completion to ensure there are minimal delays to seeding/harvesting this year.
· Highway 2 – Selective pavement rehabilitation on both SB and NB lanes from Sexsmith to Highway 43.
· Pavement Rehabilitation of Highway 749 and Highway 750 near the Town of High Prairie – both expected completion of fall 2022.
Sawhney says it’s important that road work is done in all areas of the province in light of how global supply chain issues have impacted the costs.
“It’s also important given that the BC storms actually ravaged their infrastructure. It’s been built back largely but what that meant was that we had a lot of traffic coming in through our infrastructure, particularly Highway 3, meant that it was overused. It really brought to light that the fact that we need to make sure that we invest and we make sure we get federal dollars in the province as well to help us.”
Sawhney says the twinning of Highway 40 south of Grande Prairie is another example of improving economic corridors.
Our full interview with the Minister can be found below.
– Kyle Moore, Trending 55 Newsroom
