Premier Rachel Notley on Friday announced $33-million for construction of a new interchange in an area of Leduc that she called a “global transportation corridor.”
The interchange at the QEII Highway and 65th Avenue in Leduc has long-been on the wish list of both the city and the Edmonton International Airport (EIA).
The interchange will connect industrial development south of 65th Avenue to the airport’s Perimeter Road.
“By opening up the free flow of traffic into and around this area, we’re looking at a broad range of businesses that can come in,” Notley said. “[This area] is a multi-modal transportation hub, getting goods to market by air, road and rail.”
Design work started in 2017, and Notley said construction can begin with the latest infusion of cash. A project of this scope costs between $70- and $80-million, a government spokesperson said
The Alberta government, the City of Leduc and EIA each previously contributed $1.2 million for detailed design work and cost-shared a $412,000 planning study. More funding from the federal government must still be finalized.
“We’ve stepped up — it’s not the full amount … but we think we can get moving on construction,” Notley said.
The Alberta government is moving forward with plans for a new interchange connecting 65th Avenue in Leduc with the Edmonton International Airport. (Government of Alberta)
The announcement came a day after Notley’s government announced the reconstruction of Highway 628 west of Edmonton, and a week after Notley said the province will twin Highway 60 between Highways 16 and 16A in Parkland County.
An election is expected this spring.
Notley said Friday’s announcement was made because it was “time to move forward.”
“There’s no reason to hold it up,” she said. “If anything, the amount of activity in this area is growing more than expected and the planning had been done and completed.”
Better access to airport
The City of Leduc says it still needs to determine its contribution to construction, based on what money the federal government ends up contributing.
“The interchange will provide additional access points to the airport and the surrounding lands, enabling the development of commercial infrastructure and further diversifying economic development in and around EIA and our region,” Leduc Mayor Bob Young said in a statement.
The interchange project will include:
-
A new bridge over the QEII, adjacent to the existing 50th Street bridge in Leduc.
-
New on-ramps from the QEII.
-
Intersection improvements at 65th Avenue and 50th Street in Leduc.
-
Completion of Perimeter Road and 65th Avenue west of the QEII.
It’s not clear when the whole project might be completed.