Quote:
Originally Posted by freeweed
Can't decide which thread is most appropriate for this, so...
Anyone know what the heck is being done to Hwy 9 west of Drumheller? At some points it looks like they're twinning it (which I think would be a bit much), but at other points it just looks like they're re-routing it to be straighter.
Either way, there's a massive amount of work going on right now - hills being levelled/dug through, etc.
What's the dope?
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Over the past few years, the province of Alberta has executed a number of upgrades to the highway, widening shoulders and realigning the road (most recently just west of Drumheller, although the new alignment now bypasses the Horseshoe Canyon landmark as a result). As of 2007, however, the province has yet to twin any stretch of the busy highway, and there have been calls for interchanges to be built at its junctions with Highway 21 and the Trans-Canada due to the number of fatal automobile accidents that have happened at these locations.
As of 2007 a much needed, full scale interchange is currently being constructed where Highway 9 crosses the Trans-Canada Highway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta...cial_highway_9
Contracts for the second phase of construction on Highway 9 have not been tendered as of yet.
This follows information received by this office that new construction in 2007 may be put off until the next year.
A phone call to Drumheller-Stettler MLA Shirley McClellan's office in Edmonton did not confirm nor deny this.
Phase one of the project heading south out of Drumheller, beyond Horseshoe Canyon is expected to be complete this summer.
The next phase from east of Highway 840 to east of Highway 836 is within the three year plan of Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation, according to Mike Znac, construction coordinator for Central Alberta.
The land acquisitions and plans for the next phase are complete. So far the project has not been tendered.
The plan calls for widening of the highway as well as improvements to make the roadway safer.
He says that the prospects of the project going ahead are very good. He says that cost of the project has gone up to the area of $19 million and cost may be one of the reasons that it has not been tendered yet, however the high traffic patterns for the area make the project a high priority.
“It’s pretty high on the list,” said Znac.
He says the next phase of construction, from west of Highway 836, west of Highway 21, including improvements to the Highway 9 and Highway 21 intersection also fall within the 2007-2008-2009 window.
Right now they are in the process of engineering for that phase of construction.
http://www.drumhellermail.com/Story%203.html