Plans to upgrade the eastbound lanes of the Trans-Canada Bridge will go to the engineering phase in 2025.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
@MedicineHatNews
The 2025 plan for Alberta Transportation shows design and engineering work advancing on several projects in the southeast corner of the province, but only several moving to the construction phase this year.
The project-by-project listing was published Feb. 28, after the recent budget, and will see $363 million over three years dedicated for areas south of Calgary, and another $186 million for engineering and planning.
“We are investing in the transportation and water infrastructure our communities need to address rapid growth, promote economic development and support a high quality of life,” Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen told a press conference last week regarding the budget plan.
The twinning of Highway 3 from Taber to Burdett is proceeding, with more than $106 million this year for the 57 kilometres of work, as was highlighted in the provincial budget.
In 2023, Premier Danielle Smith and Dreeshen outlined an end-to-end but phased approach to tackling the long-discussed upgrades.
That larger project is noted as engineering work in the current year.
A project to repave and strengthen the eastbound Trans-Canada Bridge span over the South Saskatchewan River at Medicine Hat was announced in 2020, and will proceed to engineering this calendar year.
Currently, crews are installing new light standard bases on Gershaw Drive in Medicine Hat, near the interchange of Highways 1 and 3, as well as Redcliff on the TCH.
Engineering work is also proceeding on a plan to build an interchange on Highway 1 at the junction with Highway 36, west of Brooks. It was first included in the 2024-25 budget, though no cost or time estimate is provided.
Planning is also continuing toward widening grade approaches to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park on Highway 41. A general widening and addition of shoulders is proposed for longer stretches south of the Trans-Canada.
Construction this summer will replace the Highway 3 bridge over the St. Mary’s Irrigation canal located 10 kilometres east of Coaldale.
Among $240.1 million in water projects, the budget dedicates $62.4 million for the Springbank off-stream reservoir, which is proposed northwest of Calgary to mitigate high water on the Bow River system.
