By Justine Kelsie

Alberta Transportation Regional Director provides update on Highway 40, Highway 43X bypass

Mar 20, 2018 | 2:22 PM

More disruptions on local highways are expected this construction season.

Regional Director for Alberta Transportation in the Peace Region, Ryan Konowalyk presented an update on plans for Highway 40, the Highway 43X bypass, and plans for repairing the current bypass through Grande Prairie at a city committee meeting Tuesday.

Although twinning 40 is the long-term plan, some work is being done to prep the area for that step. Widening of 105 kilometres of the highway from Grande Cache to Highway 16, building passing lanes from Kakwa to Canfor Road, and overlay work just south of the city is all on the agenda.

“We will do the overlay this summer from the (Wapiti) bridge to the city. Likely next year, we would start the 28 kilometres of passing lanes and paving in that area. Through that, we will continue to push forward with the design to get ready for the future Highway 40 twinning,” said Konowalyk.

Work was done in early March to prep for design and tender of the 18-kilometre stretch that will be twinned. The project is currently in the province’s unfunded capital plan which Konowalyk says identifies key priorities.

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“It is a complex and major project. There is significant property required, utility moves, a new bridge, and federal legislation.”

Even farther down the road, there are plans for a Highway 40X bypass.

“There was a planning study and there is a corridor selected.  Basically, what it does, it meets where Highway 43X is being constructed to tie in west of the city on Highway 43. Highway 40X would continue south of that, bypassing the southwest portion of the city, and tie into Highway 40 south of the city before the Wapiti River. That project is currently out in the future.”

Although work on the Highway 43X bypass isn’t as far along as expected, the construction is set to be complete in the fall of 2018. Before that, traffic may have some major disruptions, according to the Regional Director.

“Work started in winter of 2016, doing some of the environmentally sensitive work. Full grading started in spring of 2017. We were hoping to have a little more done on that project in regard to being closer to completion,” said Konowalyk.

“Last year, they were twinning through farmer’s fields, building the grade up. This year, they will be impacting traffic at 116 Street/Range Road 63 intersection with Highway 43X where we are building a round-a-bout. As well as, west of the city where Highway 43X is going to tie in with existing Highway 43. We are expecting traffic disruptions this summer, but we will give plenty of notice and give multiple routes for people to use.”

The round-a-bout will allow vehicles to cross the highway without coming to a stop. Konowalyk says similar infrastructure has worked well in Peace River.

Once the project is complete, the bypass through Grande Prairie will become the city’s property. The section of road from the north boundary of the city to the corner of Four Mile interchange will be designated as Highway 2. The Highway 43X bypass would then be designated as an extension of Highway 43.

Before the city takes over the current bypass, Konowalyk says the province will be upping their maintenance.

“I know the city is concerned that we would not conduct any maintenance activities. (The city), I am sure, will hold us to account to make sure we do. Our plan is to certainly be providing a minimum level, if not advanced maintenance activities over the summer.”

Mayor Bill Given said in the meeting Tuesday that the city wants “to ensure it is maintained well” before taking it over.