Edmonton is appealing to its neighbours to help convince the federal government to pay for a makeover for the Yellowhead Trail.
The city proposes more than $1 billion in improvements to the highway, which would ease the congested stop-and-go traffic currently experienced by drivers.
“One of the objects that we’re trying to achieve, in my view, is to turn the Yellowhead from a stressful drive to a drive of comfort,” said Dan Grimble, the managing director of the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association.
Grimble’s job is to sell the benefits of revamping the highway to businesses and other jurisdictions, so they will get on board with asking the federal government for funding.
“It’s been a long standing need of ours,” Coun. Ben Henderson said. “It’s a hugely expensive project, so clearly we can’t do it by ourselves.”
Next week councillors will vote on whether or not to apply for help from the federal Building Canada Fund, which helps pay for large projects of national significance.
To be eligible, the city must prove the highway improvements would generate economic activity beyond Edmonton. Grimble said the project is a perfect fit.
“Sixty per cent of Edmonton’s truck traffic drives the Yellowhead every day, so improving that roadway is really important for the economy,” he said.
An improved Yellowhead would make it easier to transport goods to the B.C. and the Pacific Rim from other areas of Canada, he added.
“We need a second alternative through the Rockies, and that’s where the Yellowhead becomes a very important route,” he said.
