This 19 kilometre stretch of Highway 40 sees an average of 10,000 vehicles per day (Photo: Shaun Penner)

By Shaun Penner

Highway 40 Twinning

County hoping new report helps advocate for twinning of Highway 40

Sep 18, 2019 | 2:44 PM

A report released by the County of Grande Prairie shows a big benefit to twinning a portion of Highway 40.

The report, which was completed by Edmonton-Based economic consulting firm Nichols Applied Management Ltd., suggests that over a 30-year period, the net social benefit to twinning the first 19 kilometres of the highway south of the city would be $483.7 million.

The benefit is calculated based on several factors, such as reduced travel times and traffic delays, as well as vastly improved safety along that very busy corridor.

The reason for having this report commissioned was to help emphasize a point for the County of Grande Prairie, which is that this project needs to get done quickly.

Years of lobbying with the M.D. of Greenview and the City of Grande Prairie led to the NDP government announcing that an alignment plan had been finalized to twin the stretch of road, as well as build an additional bridge across the Wapiti River at the end of 2018. That plan would see construction begin in 2022, and be completed in 2024.

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However, since the United Conservatives have taken office, no further announcements have been made for the project to begin.

Reeve Leanne Beaupre says this report will help serve as proof of the importance of getting the project done in a timely manner.

“Just to make sure they understood what the importance and the urgency was behind this currently very busy and unsafe portion of highway,” said Beaupre. “Where it is an economic generator for the province.”

“It really is important, and I certainly know that our MLA’s of the area understand the importance of that section of road. This just gives them more information and support in their advocacy efforts, to make sure that it is funded within the budget.”

Area residents are all too aware of the amount of accidents and issues the highway sees on a near daily basis. The report shows that over 10,000 vehicles travel along that stretch of highway every day, with that volume having increased for the past several years, mostly because of increased economic activity in the area.

With any accident or traffic issue along that stretch, getting around it can be impossible to some. That’s why Beaupre says the County will continue to push for the project to go through.

“With the one single bridge, if there happens to be an accident or disruption of service on either side of the bridge, employees can’t get to the south side where they need to be,” said Beaupre. “Or, even if you look at the school children that come out of Grovedale area. They can’t get back to their home community.”

No change to that stretch could be detrimental to commercial investment, like in the Tri Municipal Industrial Partnership. Beaupre, who is on the TMIP Committee, knows how important it is to big industry players to have proper transport routes in and out of that site.

“One of the things they will look at is the transportation corridors and the systems that are available to them,” said Beaupre. “And the safety to their employees.”

Though the County is focused on the portion of highway that falls within their boundaries, further twinning of the highway would be ideal to Beaupre, and she hopes this report can be used by other municipalities and stakeholders, like the M.D. of Greenview, to advocate for more.

Those interested in reading the full report can access it here.