Infrastructure

Alberta reflects on 2024 highway construction season

DCN-JOC News Services December 16, 2024

EDMONTON — The Alberta government recently highlighted the success of several key highway construction projects that were carried out during a busy season in 2024.

According to a release, the Alberta government invested $818 million in more than 200 projects.

The 2024 construction season included new and ongoing major road projects, such as repaving, bridge rehabilitation and replacement, slide repairs, road expansion and water management infrastructure projects. General maintenance work included pothole repairs, crack sealing, line painting, grading gravel roads and guardrail installation.

Project highlights are as follows:

CALGARY

Deerfoot Trail improvements

Construction on the new Beddington Trail /11 Street connection was completed.
Progress was made on McKnight Boulevard, including a fourth lane on Deerfoot Trail and interchange improvements at 16 Avenue.
Work continued on Bow Bottom Trail/Anderson Road/Southland Drive and Glenmore Trail.
The total estimated investment for all of the Deerfoot Trail projects, anticipated for completion in 2027, is more than $800 million.

EDMONTON

Terwillegar Drive

Progress was made to widen Terwillegar Drive to four lanes in both directions across Anthony Henday Drive to Windermere Boulevard.
Alberta provided $157.5 million to this City of Edmonton project.

50 Street widening and railway grade separation

Work continued to widen 50 Street from four to six lanes and build a railway line grade separation over the railway. The northbound overpass is now complete and open to traffic.
$28.3 million was provided by the province for this project.

SOUTHERN ALBERTA

Highway 3 twinning: Taber to Burdett

Work began on twinning 46 kilometres between Taber and Burdett.
The total estimated investment is about $179 million.

Highway 1 Wildlife Overpass

Construction was completed on the overpass and 12 kilometres of fencing west of Lac Des Arcs.
Total estimated investment of $17.5 million.

Paving and Bridge Projects

Approximately $25 million in paving projects was completed throughout southern Alberta including:

Highway 864 near Taber
Highway 508 near Lethbridge
Highway 791 near Airdrie
Highway 61 near Foremost
Highway 2 near Okotoks
Central Alberta

Paving Projects

Approximately $45.8 million of work was finished including pavement overlays. Intersection and grade improvements and culvert replacements were completed on about 86 kilometres of Highways 2A, 12, 14 and 835.

PEACE REGION

Highways 733 and 750 paving

Investment of $17.1 million to complete paving of 32 kilometres of Highway 733.
Investment of $14.7 million to complete paving of 51 kilometers of Highway 750.

Peace River Arch Bridge Rehabilitation

$29 million for ongoing work to complete rehabilitation work on the old Peace River bridge.

Highway 40 twinning

Phase two to twin the remaining 10 kilometres from south of the Wapiti River is nearing completion.
Total project investment is estimated at $228 million.

NORTH CENTRAL REGION AND FORT MCMURRAY REGION

QEII and 65 Avenue interchange

Construction is now 80 per cent complete.
The estimated total investment is $112 million.

Highway 825 grade widening

Grade widening of 8.2 kilometres of Highway 825 between north of Township Road 553 and Highway 643.
The total estimated investment is $21.5 million.

Thin lift overlays

Approximately $35.33 million of thin lift overlays were completed in north central Alberta on multiple highways, including Highways 14, 16A, 28, 40, 43, 55, 60, 63, 881 and 867.
Thin-lift overlays can extend the life of existing pavement by eight to 10 years.

WATER PROJECTS

Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir