Clearing work to prepare the future northbound lanes of Highway 40 is well underway south of the city (Photo by Shaun Penner / EverythingGP staff)

By Curtis Galbraith

"It's Exciting Times"

Work on Highway 40 twinning project well underway

May 28, 2021 | 5:30 AM

The work to twin a 19-kilometre stretch of Highway 40 south of Grande Prairie is well underway.

The Peace Regional Director for Alberta Transportation Ryan Konowalyk says clearing work that started in the spring is “primarily complete.”

Looking south on the Wapiti hill. The cleared section is where the northbound lanes will be constructed (Photo: Shaun Penner / EverythingGP staff)

“People will notice that earthworks commenced in mid-May and they continue with the new lanes being constructed on the east side of the existing highway,” said Konowalyk to EverythingGP.

“These new lanes will become the future northbound lanes with the existing lanes being used for southbound traffic in the future.”

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Looking north on the Wapiti hill. The existing highway will serve southbound traffic in the near future (Photo: Shaun Penner / EverythingGP staff)

As part of the project a second bridge will also be constructed over the Wapiti River which will serve northbound traffic. That work is set to start in June.

The future site of a second bridge over the Wapiti River, which will serve northbound traffic. The existing bridge will serve southbound traffic (Photo: Shaun Penner / EverythingGP)

Konowalyk says the project will be completed in two phases.

The first phase will concentrate on the stretch of road between the city and Highway 666.

“Phase 2 of the Highway 40 twinning, which will actually go from south of Township Road 700 to Highway 666, is actually currently under design and we do anticipate tendering that by the end of this year with construction starting in early 2022 and then having that section open in conjunction with the overall completion in fall of ’23.”

He adds there will be traffic delays at times, but they will do their best to minimize those.

“We’re really trying to work on one side of the highway. There might be some equipment crossing once in a while, but we really put a lot of thought and effort into trying to make sure that delays would be minimized,” explained Konowalyk.

“That is a pretty busy section of highway, it’s really important to the provincial economy and of course, we didn’t want people becoming really frustrated over a number of years.”

The project was announced in February of 2020, which is being cost shared between the province, the County of Grande Prairie and the MD of Greenview.

The County has put forward $10 million for the project, while the MD of Greenview is covering 50 per cent of the twinning project, up to $60-million.

Konowalyk says the contract for the first phase of the project was awarded to Carmax Enterprises at a cost of $92 million.

He adds this project will support approximately 500 direct and indirect jobs.

“It’s exciting times,” said Konowalyk. “I’m sure people using that highway, whether it be public, tourism or industry are going to significantly benefit once we get everything opened up in the fall of 2023.”