The traffic circle would connnect this stretch of road through to the Whispering Ridge neighbourhood (Photo: Shaun Penner)

By Shaun Penner

Highway 43x Roundabout

Traffic circle being explored at Range Road 62, Highway 43X

Sep 19, 2019 | 5:30 AM

Another traffic circle may be coming to Highway 43X.

County of Grande Prairie Council has directed Administration to look at developing a traffic circle, that would create an intersection at Range Road 62 and the Highway, just south of the Crosslink County Sportsplex and to the north of the Whispering Ridge neighbourhood.

The roundabout would be placed about a kilometre east of the one at Range Rd. 63 (Photo: Shaun Penner)

Director of Public Works Dale Van Volkingburgh says the decision to investigate that option over building an overpass there is one of being financially feasible.

“Interimly, we had a future plan for a flyover there,” said Van Volkingburgh. “Flyovers are very expensive, in the $15 million range.”

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That doesn’t mean a traffic circle would be the forever solution to creating an access point to both the Sportsplex and Whispering Ridge. At this time though, it just makes more sense based on the overall success of the traffic circle that was put in just a kilometre to the west.

“It’s no different than the existing roundabout is, there’s an interchanged planned there for the future,” said Van Volkingburgh. “Interimly, they put a roundabout at (Range Rd.) 63 and Highway 43X, so we see the relevance of a roundabout also at (Range Rd.) 62.”

The current traffic circle connects Range Rd. 63, 116 Street and the new bypass to the rest of 43X (Photo: Shaun Penner)

Van Volkingburgh made a motion at Monday’s Council meeting to approach Alberta Transportation about creating the access point.

Final decisions following those discussions will be brought back for Council approval.