Highway 3 twinning project to begin next spring, province says

The Alberta government plans to finish a major southern Alberta highway twinning project within the next decade.

At a news conference in Medicine Hat Friday, Premier Danielle Smith and Devin Dreeshen, minister of transportation and economic corridors, announced that construction will start for twinning the stretch of Highway 3 between Taber and Burdett next spring and the entire highway will be twinned within 10 years.

The province has put out a request for proposals to three shortlisted bidders for that first 46-kilometre stretch, Dreeshen said. 

The stretch from Taber to Burdett is just one of eight phases of the project, which will see 215 kilometres of highway twinned. 

"There's a lot of work to be done, but the work starts now," Dreeshen said at Friday's news conference.

Dreeshen said there is currently no exact price tag for the project.

The UCP first announced plans to twin the section of Highway 3 between Taber and Burdett in 2020. The highway is a vital east-west link, and connector between Saskatchewan and B.C., south of the Trans-Canada Highway.

'It's just going to attract more investment'

At Friday's news conference, Smith said the twinning of Highway 3 was the main issue she heard about during her by-election campaign.

"By sending the signal that we're going to build this out and create easier routes, not only to go east-west but certainly also make it easier to go north-south, I think that it's just going to attract more investment here," she said. 

Smith also thanked the Highway 3 Twinning Development Association for pressing the provincial government for years to complete the project. 

In a news release issued Friday, Bill Chapman, president of the association, said twinning of Highway 3 is the most efficient and safe option.

"As a primary route for the transport of goods and services, the twinning of Highway 3 is vital for our communities in industry, agri-business, recreation and tourism," he said in the release.

The eight phases of the project are as follows:

• Phase 1: 46 kilometres – Highway 3 between Taber and Burdett. Construction is expected to start in 2023.
• Phase 2: 10 kilometres – Highway 3X/Coleman Bypass. Functional planning studies have been completed and detailed engineering design will begin in spring 2023.
• Phase 3: 15 kilometres – East of Seven Persons to Medicine Hat. Functional planning studies have been completed and detailed engineering design will begin in spring 2023.
• Phase 4: 47 kilometres – Blairmore to east of Highway 6 at Pincher Creek. Functional planning studies have been completed and detailed engineering design will begin in 2023.
• Phase 5: 28 kilometres – East of Bow Island to east of Seven Persons. Functional planning studies have been completed and detailed engineering design will begin in summer 2023.
• Phase 6: 23 kilometres – East of Burdett to east of Bow Island. A functional planning study has been completed and the province will continue to consult with the Town of Bow Island and other stakeholders in order to finalize the alignment.
• Phase 7: 38 kilometres – Pincher Creek to west of Fort Macleod. A functional planning study through Piikani Nation is underway and will continue for some time.
• Phase 8: Eight kilometres – Alberta-B.C. border to Highway 3X. Continued engagement with B.C. is necessary to consider alignment with improvements being planned through the B.C. portion.

In addition to the Taber to Burdett stretch, the province will proceed with a request for proposals for the remaining seven phases of the project, the release stated.