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Alberta budget funds urban highway network

April 2, 2015 – The Alberta government announced funding for
urban highway projects as part of its 2015-16 budget, including twinning
sections of Highway 19 between the QEII and Highway 60.

April 2, 2015 – The Alberta government announced funding for
urban highway projects as part of its 2015-16 budget, including twinning
sections of Highway 19 between the QEII and Highway 60.

“Highway 19 from QEII west to Devon is a critical piece of
infrastructure that supports continued economic growth in the capital region,”
said Alberta Premier Jim Prentice. “By making this investment now, we are
laying the foundation for continued capital region growth for many years to
come.”

“Budget 2015 puts the government’s commitment to twin
Highway 19 into action with an initial $80 million investment to twin the east
and west portions of Highway 19 and add additional southbound capacity on the
QEII to ease ongoing congestion at the Highway 19/Nisku interchange,” said Wayne
Drysdale, Alberta Minister of Transportation.

The budget also included funding announcements for several other
urban road and highway projects including

• Final investment
  in the last leg of Northeast Anthony Henday Drive is $446 million over the next
  three years, bringing the total investment for this section to $1.81 billion.
• Investment of $81
  million in the coming year on Highway 63 within Fort McMurray. When complete in
  2016, government will have invested $1.22 billion on the twinning project.
• Work on the
  Southwest Calgary Ring Road will move forward once the land transfer occurs
  this summer as part the historic Land Transfer Agreement between the Government
  of Alberta and the Tsuu T’ina Nation.
• Investment of $6
  million over the next two years to update the six-lane QE II (Highway 2)
  Corridor planning study between Edmonton and Calgary.

Budget 2015 reflects the tight fiscal reality facing Alberta
today, balanced with the need to provide a safe transportation system to move
goods and people across regions and the province.

Alberta’s provincial highway network covers 31,000
kilometres, 28,000 of which are paved. In addition, Alberta Transportation is
responsible for nearly 4,500 bridges, including traditional bridge structures,
interchanges and large culverts.