Alberta invests in northern routes to improve travel

As northern parts of our province continue to grow in both population and economic significance, government is working to ensure Albertans and industry enjoy safe, smooth roads. To reflect this, $5 billion is being invested over the next three years to expand and rehabilitate the provincial highway network.

“We recognize the importance of nothern Alberta to our local, provincial and federal economies. Some of the largest population growth in the province is anticipated in the north and we need to prepare for that. After significant investment in Highways 63 and 43, this budget refocuses on the connector routes.”

Some northern Alberta projects underway or planned

• A new, three-kilometre northbound climbing lane on Highway 40 between Grande Cache and Grande Prairie will increase motorist safety with more opportunities to safely pass large trucks used by industry.
• More than 200 kilometres of road rehabilitation, including work on Highways 2, 16, 40, 43, 44, 55, 60 and 881.
• Preservation work on the Meikle River bridge to improve safety and extend the lifespan of the existing structure.
• Over $4 million of work on the Redwillow Bridge on Highway 722. This innovative project includes removal of the concrete deck, replacing it with a steel deck. The steel deck is lighter, will allow heavier loads, and  increases the bridge’s width for less cost than a replacement bridge. This work will increase market access as agricultural and forestry products will be able to cross the bridge.
• Completion of Highway 43 twinning through Sturgeon Lake. This work will complete the north-south trade corridor from the U.S. border to Grande Prairie, increasing market access for Alberta goods.
• Completion of a roundabout at Highways 44 and 633, which will improve traffic flow, reduce delays and fuel consumption and improve safety when compared to intersections with traffic signals.
• Completion of the twinning of Highway 63 by the fall of 2016. This work enhances the safety of Alberta motorists on Highway 63.
• The completion of Highway 88 paving will be a major connector in the Peace region, providing a newly-paved connection to many First Nations communities as well as a second route to High Level. This work will increase market access for the oil and gas industry and may increase tourism development.

“Paving Highway 88 will have personal, commercial, environmental and economic benefit on all aspects of life in our northern communities, as it greatly improves road conditions between Fort Vermilion and Slave Lake and can be easily accessed from La Crete, a trading area of 8,000 people. It also shortens the distance to medical facilities in Edmonton.”

More than 2,500 kilometres of existing provincial highways, many in the northern regions, will be rehabilitated as part of the current three-year construction program. Budget 2014 provides $735 million for highway rehabilitation, an increase of $284 million from the 2013-16 Capital Plan.

Rehabilitation priorities are evaluated based on a number of factors including safety, traffic counts, project costs, future development, pavement condition and market access. The Alberta government makes its transportation construction program available to all Albertans annually on the web.

Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta's resources to ensure we're able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.