Repaving of Highway 838, North Dinosaur Trail is on the province’s radar in the near future.
The provincial government has announced $3 billion over three years to support capital maintenance, and the 2021 provincial construction program shows there will be some improvements in the Drumheller area.
According to a press release, the province is investing nearly $300 million more than in the 2020 budget to capital maintenance and renewal. This funding is for everything from fixing potholes, resurfacing roads, bridge repair, and provincial building maintenance. Budget 2021 places a significant focus on maintaining existing capital assets, creating more than 7,500 jobs on more than 260 projects to maintain and improve the condition of Alberta’s highways and bridges.
“Our priority is to create thousands of jobs now by fixing potholes and bridges and roads so Albertans can travel safer and so we can get our goods to market more efficiently. Extending the life of infrastructure reduces replacement costs in the future. Budget 2021 makes sure Albertans can continue to be proud of their highways,” said Ric McIver, Minister of Transportation.
Already in the Drumheller area, there are some projects underway. One of note is the bridge replacement underway on Highway 10X, three kilometres south of Rosedale.
According to the 2021 Construction Program repaving, 17 kilometres of Highway 838 is in the design stage. This is from the Town of Drumheller to two kilometres south of Highway 837. The schedule shows work near Carbon. There are 18 kilometres of repaving slated in the design stage on Highway 575 between Highway 21 and 7 kilometres east of Highway 836, as well as slide repairs.
According to Alberta Transportation press secretary McKenzie Kibbler, “both Highway 838 and Highway 575 are included in the Budget 2021 three year Provincial Construction Program and are currently in the design phase. Once engineering design work is completed, we will be able to move ahead with the construction phase. We expect to complete both projects within the next three years.”
The province is also looking at repaving 34 kilometres of Highway 590 between Highway 21 and the Village of Big Valley.
The design stage means the project is at the project management and hiring engineering consultants to design the project.
The 2021 construction plan includes major capital projects and capital maintenance and renewal for the next three years, as well as slide repair for the next year. This may be changed based on emerging needs, changing construction schedules, and available funding.