Achi news desk-
With or without federal support, improvements to a major highway in southern Alberta continue because of its vital economic importance as an east-west corridor, the province says.
Eight Highway 3 projects are on the books after being separated into “small pieces” to keep costs under control, said Devin Dreeshen, minister of transportation and economic corridors.
Dreeshen highlighted the importance of Highway 3 in connecting the province to BC and Saskatchewan through an area of ​​irrigation, agriculture and oil and gas.
“It’s such a bread basket from Alberta,” said the member for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake.
So far the National Trade Corridors Fund has failed to provide funds towards a list from the Alberta government of projects in southern, central and northern Alberta. All calls for proposals are closed.
The province’s submissions would help pay for upgrades affecting Edmonton, Devon, Calgary, Balzac, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Crowsnest Pass, Piikani First Nation, Pincher Creek, Fort Macleod, Taber and dozens of other communities.
One of the failed projects is part of more than 210 kilometers of twinning work on Highway 3 and Highway 3X which is at some stage of consultation, planning or design.
Work will soon begin on the 46 kilometer unaided section of Highway 3 between Taber and a hamlet called Burdett, west of Medicine Hat. A design-build contract won by Ledcor will break new ground this spring and support around 750 jobs, a spokesperson for the ministry told the Local Journalism Initiative.
Also beginning this spring is detailed design engineering for the Highway 3X / Coleman bypass. Planning studies have been completed for 14 kilometers of work.
Work on 36 kilometers of twinning west of Seven Persons to Medicine Hat begins this year, now that planning studies have been completed and a detailed engineering design contract has been awarded.
In the fall, detailed design engineering is expected to begin on 21 kilometers of the highway from Blairmore east of its intersection with Highway 22. More detailed design engineering should follow in winter 2024 for 20 kilometers of work from the east from Highway 22 to Highway 6 at Pincher Creek. Planning studies have been completed for both.
Less far ahead are three other projects.
A functional planning study has been completed east of Burdett to west of Seven Persons, a 30 kilometer section. But the province needs to continue consulting with the Town of Bow Island and other stakeholders to finalize the alignment, the ministry said.
For Pincher Creek west of Fort Macleod, a functional planning study with Piikani Nation is underway for 38 kilometers of Highway 3 work.
And “ongoing engagement” with BC authorities is underway to align eight km of work on Highway 3X with what’s happening on the other side of the border, a ministry spokesperson said.
