Construction begins on twinning of Highway 3 between Taber, Burdett
After years of delay, twinning of Highway 3 between Taber and Burdett is underway.
“Today is just real proof in the pudding that things do happen and if you put your mind to it and your heart and your passion for this project it’ll certainly come about,” said Bill Chapman, vice-president of the Highway 3 Twinning Development Association.
Highway 3 connects the Crowsnest Pass to Medicine Hat. It’s 324 kilometres long but only about 100 kilometers is twinned – from Fort Macleod to Taber.
Now, construction has begun on a 46 kilometre stretch between Taber and Burdett.
“The easiest,” said Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.
“It’s the flattest, straightest. The others -- like when you get close to the B.C. border -- are more complex when you have more communities involved.”
The $170 million project was initially announced in 2020, but was pulled back because of the pandemic.
Construction was then supposed to start on the eight phase project last spring, but delays pushed that timeline to 2024.
“Safety implications are obviously a factor,” Dreeshen said. “This twinning will really make sure that head on collision won’t be a threat anymore as obviously all lanes of traffic are going the same directions but we’ve seen huge investments in this region and lots of companies interested in investing in southern Alberta.”
Officials says hundreds of millions of dollars of goods and service travel the highway each year.
“We’re going to see some of the greatest growth in the agri-food sector we’ve ever seen in Alberta and North America in the next 10 to 20 years,” said Grant Hunter, MLA for Taber-Warner.
Phase one is set to be complete by next spring.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Richard Perry, record producer behind 'You're So Vain' and other hits, dies at 82
Richard Perry, a hitmaking record producer with a flair for both standards and contemporary sounds whose many successes included Carly Simon’s 'You’re So Vain,' Rod Stewart’s 'The Great American Songbook' series and a Ringo Starr album featuring all four Beatles, died Tuesday. He was 82.
Hong Kong police issue arrest warrants and bounties for six activists including two Canadians
Hong Kong police on Tuesday announced a fresh round of arrest warrants for six activists based overseas, with bounties set at $1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to their arrests.
Read Trudeau's Christmas message
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his Christmas message on Tuesday. Here is his message in full.
Stunning photos show lava erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano
One of the world's most active volcanoes spewed lava into the air for a second straight day on Tuesday.
Indigenous family faced discrimination in North Bay, Ont., when they were kicked off transit bus
Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal has awarded members of an Indigenous family in North Bay $15,000 each after it ruled they were victims of discrimination.
What is flagpoling? A new ban on the practice is starting to take effect
Immigration measures announced as part of Canada's border response to president-elect Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariff threat are starting to be implemented, beginning with a ban on what's known as 'flagpoling.'
Dismiss Trump taunts, expert says after 'churlish' social media posts about Canada
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and those in his corner continue to send out strong messages about Canada.
Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights
American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive.
King Charles III is set to focus on healthcare workers in his traditional Christmas message
King Charles III is expected to use his annual Christmas message to highlight health workers, at the end of a year in which both he and the Princess of Wales were diagnosed with cancer.