Despite frustration with a lack of commitment from Alberta Transportation, the Town of Okotoks and Foothills County continue to work toward median closures and an overpass on Highway 2.
A letter from Transportation Minister Ric McIver thanked both municipalities for expressing their concerns for safety on the busy highway and request to close medians at 306 Ave., 338 Ave. and 370 Ave. to prevent motorists from crossing oncoming traffic.
“All the intersections are challenging for motorists due to the high traffic volume on Highway 2, particularly for motorists making left turns to enter the highway or going straight through the intersection,” said letter reads. “However, the effects of any proposed future changes in the interim and long term need to be considered.”
He acknowledged an interchange at 338 Ave. and Highway 2 would help alleviate safety issues, and indicated a functional planning study must be conducted prior to moving forward with such a project. The study would determine configuration, right-of-way requirements and costs.
The proposed project is not yet high on the priority list, though with financial commitment it could be, he wrote.
“One factor that could impact the interchange’s priority is potential cost-sharing with municipalities on the design and construction,” McIver states in the letter.
The Town of Okotoks and Foothills County have both tentatively offered to fund 50 per cent of a functional planning study for an overpass, and McIver said that will be taken into consideration as Alberta Transportation continues to review its planning priorities.
He also indicated while the suggested median closures at 306 Ave., 338 Ave. and 370 Ave. have been supported by both councils and would not be a funded project, there must be further discussions between the municipalities and the Province to determine potential impacts on local roads, as well as the implementation strategy for such a move and the process of notifying the public.
County Coun. Alan Alger said he was disappointed by the minister’s response.
“I don’t like these letters, typical government letters – I understand, I understand, I am pleased, I am pleased, I understand – and yet nothing is going forward,” said Alger.
Coun. R.D. McHugh, who has been a proponent of median closures, the interchange at 338 Ave. and potential upgrades to the existing interchange at Highway 552, echoed the sentiment of frustration with a lack of commitment.
He questioned whether current plans to upgrade 64 Street and 80 Street could be postponed to help fund the 338 Ave. overpass.
“Do we go through with bypassing improvements on those roads and putting the money towards the 338 Ave. overpass, which might also solve our problems and as mentioned in [Minister McIver’s] letter get more money on the table to spur on the overpass at 338 Ave., as that is the preferred solution that would solve this whole problem,” said McHugh.
However, municipal manager Harry Riva Cambrin said the improvements to 64 Street and 80 Street would be necessary if the overpass was built as they would bear the load of additional traffic on the west side of the highway.
“If we were to get that work done now, we’d be a little ahead of the scale,” said Riva Cambrin. “Those roads, in my opinion, will have to be dealt with, overpass or no overpass.”
He added the cost of upgrades on the two roads, estimated at around $10 million, would be a drop in the bucket compared to an overpass at $100 million or more.
Reeve Suzanne Oel said the tone of the letter was not surprising and there is a lot of work on the horizon for both municipalities as they work to solve traffic safety concerns on Highways 2 and 2A.
It would help to know when the project might be considered on the priority list, she said.
“I don’t know whether this is moving forward this century or not in terms of this letter,” said Oel.
County council adopted the letter as information with the recommendation to take the discussion to its intermunicipal committee meeting with the Town of Okotoks.
Okotoks council acknowledged the same letter at its Oct. 26 meeting without discussion.
