Highway 3 projects play a major role in provincial highway planning

With or without federal support, major highway improvements in southern Alberta continue because of its critical economic importance as an east-west corridor, the province says.

Eight Highway 3 projects are on the books after being broken into “large chunks” to keep costs under control, according to Transportation and Economic Corridors Secretary Devin Drieschen.

Drieschen highlighted the importance of Highway 3 in connecting the province to BC and Saskatchewan through irrigation, agriculture and oil and gas.

“It's the breadbasket of Alberta,” said the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake member.

The National Trade Corridors Fund has yet to invest in the Alberta government's list of projects in southern, central and northern Alberta. All calls for proposals are closed.

The province's proposals will help pay for upgrades affecting Edmonton, Devon, Calgary, Balzac, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Crowsnest Pass, Piikani First Nation, Pincher Creek, Fort McLeod, Taber and dozens of other communities.

One of the failed projects is part of more than 210 kilometers of highways 3 and 3X that are still in the consultation, planning or design stages.

Work will soon begin on an unsupported 46-kilometer stretch of Highway 3 between Taber and the village of Burdett west of Medicine Hat. The design-build contract won by Ledcor will break ground this spring and support about 750 jobs, a ministry spokesman told the Local Journalism Initiative.

Detailed design work for the Highway 3X/Coleman Bypass will also begin this spring. The planning work of 14 km work has been completed.

Work on the 36km westbound 'Seven Men to Medicine Hat' will begin this year, with planning now complete and a detailed design contract awarded.

Detailed design work is expected to begin in the fall 21 kilometers east of the interchange with Highway 22 from Blairmore. More detailed design work should be done in the winter of 2024 for the 20 km east-to-east stretch of Highway 22. Highway 6 at Pincher Creek. Planning work has been completed for both.

There are three more projects.

A functional planning study has been completed for a 30 km section east of Burdett and west of Seven Man. But the province must continue to consult with the city of Bow Island and other stakeholders to complete the alignment, the ministry said.

A functional planning study is underway for Pincher Creek west of Fort Macleod with the Piikani Nation for 38 km of Highway 3 work.

“Continued arrangements” are being made with BC authorities to align eight kilometers of work on Highway 3X with what's happening across the border, a ministry spokesman said.