Calgary residents kicking up dust over southwest ring road construction

Some residents of Discovery Ridge say they're fed up with all the debris that's getting strewn across Highway 8 and the cloud of dust they have to live under with the construction of the southwest portion of Calgary's ring road.

They say the lack of due diligence on the part of KGL Contractors, the companies behind the project, is ruining their quality of life.

Darrin Hopkins drives that road every day and says it's a mess.

"Rocks, stones, mud, dirt, what have you, and cars are getting broken windshields. We had two broken windshields last year from that road and we had another one already this year," said Hopkins.

Highway 8 has been carrying more trucks ever since construction started in that area last year.

Hopkins says some of the dust is being stirred up by vehicles driving without load covers, or travelling too fast along the side roads.

"And they are passing traffic, sometimes on Highway 8, on the secondary roads they've built themselves," Hopkins said.

Hopkins also says he hasn't seen any of the crews spray water or other products to minimize dust, or put down cattle guards where trucks enter the highway to limit the spread of mud as the company has promised to do.

Concerns raised last fall

Hopkins says he started raising these concerns with KGL Constructors and the province last fall, but he says nothing's changed.

"Are they just going at all out speed to get this done and just saying well, we're willing to cut these things out to get this done. I don't think that's a good neighbour policy for the people who live in the area," said Hopkins.

Hopkins also brought his concerns to the Discovery Ridge Community Association this week.

A spokesperson for the association says this is the first complaint it's heard from a resident regarding health and environmental issues around the ring road.

KGL Contractors directed CBC news to speak with Alberta Transportation with respect to these concerns.

Province promises closer monitoring

The department says KGL crews are adhering to the environmental standards the conglomerate committed to, which include spraying products to minimize dust and ensuring vehicles have their loads covered with a tarp.

"I can assure you, and assure him, and assure the public that this work is happening, but was it happening in a great enough quantity to handle all of these concerns? I would say that the answer is obviously, no." said Alberta Transportation spokesman Adam Johnson.

Johnson says as a result the province will monitor the project more closely.

"We are going to do everything we can to make sure that we limit any of these impacts to the quality of life to anyone living along the route," said Johnson.

But Johnson also blames the dry conditions this spring. He says that's creating more dust at this and other construction sites in the region.

And Johnson expects the rain that's forecast over the next few days will help.

"We're looking forward to getting some of that because it certainly makes our job easier, it makes life better for all the people living around those construction projects."

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