NDP, UCP pledge to invest into Hwy 15/830 overpass in Alberta's Industrial Heartland
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A key piece of roadway infrastructure is getting some pre-election buzz.
Those who work in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland already know how badly an overpass is needed at the intersection of Highway 15 and 830 in northern Strathcona County. For years, workers have been delayed by passing trains, sometimes for upwards of an hour, but now the two leading parties in the 2023 provincial election are vowing to fix it.
Highlighting the need to support overweight and oversized traffic, improve corridor movement and to enhance public safety, the project has already been included in the UCP’s Provincial Construction Program. Engineering will begin this year after a tendering process, and estimated construction dollars will be allocated after that. It’s estimated the project could take six years to complete.
“I and our UCP government remain committed to improving transportation for the residents of Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville and all Albertans,” Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk said, adding she’s been working with the Minister of Transportation on details and finalization and hopes to share more information soon.
Sherwood Park MLA Jordan Walker was made aware of the need both by the municipality and residents when he was elected in 2019.
“I have been a strong advocate of this project as it will unleash economic development in the Industrial Heartland while creating jobs and making my constituents’ daily commutes safer. The Government of Alberta has answered both my and Strathcona County’s advocacy by allocating funding in Budget 2023 towards the engineering of the intersection to ensure that we are on the right track to deliver this much needed infrastructure.”
With about 12 sets of parallel train tracks at that intersection, almost 40 trains pass through daily.
The NDP also pledged to funding a functional planning study for the Highway 15/830 overpass within the first 100 days in office, if elected. It’s estimated that diamond-shaped overpass would cost upwards of $200 million to $250 million and could create 200 construction jobs and 120 indirect jobs.
Speaking in Sherwood Park on Tuesday, April 4, NDP Leader Rachel Notley recalled how Mayor Rod Frank highlighted this project as Strathcona County’s top infrastructure concern when meeting with him and council during last fall’s Rural Municipalities Convention.
“This is critical, enabling infrastructure that will help attract private sector capital investment to the Industrial Heartland. Building this vital interchange will make that intersection safety and will improve flow for folks travelling in this area,” Notley said.
Sherwood Park NDP candidate and Ward 4 Coun. Bill Tonita said local residents and thousands of workers in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland deserve better.
“With thousands of workers commuting in and out of the Heartland at staff change, imagine what you might see. Sometimes you see vehicles (stretching) a kilometre long waiting to get into the Heartland. That’s how serious this intersection problem is,” he said.
Newly appointed Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville NDP candidate Taneen Rudyk said she’s proud to be a candidate for a party that is fully committed to investing into the future of this region and prioritizing growth in the Industrial Heartland.
“We know that infrastructure needs have been ignored for far too long out here and that includes vital roadways. I look forward to supporting industry and Heartland residents and ensuring that we’re doing what’s necessary to keep our communities vibrant and filled with good paying jobs for generations to come,” she said.
Also focused on the Industrial Heartland, the NDP previously announced that it will expand the Petrochemical Incentive Program by $70M annually which will expand the eligible feedstocks of the program such as recycled plastics, end products and will bring back partial upgrade, which was removed by the UCP. That change is expected to attract an additional $10 billion in new investment and create 27,000 jobs.
“Investing in important enabling infrastructure like the interchange that we’re announcing today and continuing to support growth and development in the Industrial Heartland will go towards maximizing Alberta’s competitiveness, attract investment to the province, build a resilient economy, and create good paying jobs now and for future generations,” Notley said.
Strathcona-Sherwood Park MLA Nate Glubish said the upgrade willmuch improved access to local infrastructure that will increase economic opportunities, including a refinery, developable industrial lands, and the adjacent Scotford rail yard.
“Clearly, NDP Leader Rachel Notley is out of ideas of her own and has resorted to announcing projects already underway by Alberta’s government,” Glubish said in a statement. “A similar situation to the Red Deer Regional Hospital where the NDP government removed it from the priority list in 2018. Upon taking office, the UCP government put it back on the priority list and has now allocated $1.8 billion in full project funding with construction expected to be completed by 2030/31. Once again, Rachel Notley is trying to take credit for this project’s progress.”
Whichever party is elected come May 29, area mayors, including Bruderheim’s Karl Hauch and Fort Saskatchewan’s Gale Katchur are glad to see this need addressed.
“It impacts many different communities… I saw a video where traffic was backed up for 20 minutes. For work being done in the Heartland, companies say an hour delay can cost up to a million dollars. This is our top road infrastructure need and we’ve made that very clear with the province,” noted Mayor Rod Frank, who also reiterated this need with Premier Danielle Smith during her visit to the local Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, April 11. “Whatever it takes to allow traffic to flow freely, that’s our main concern.”
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