Highway twinning and bridge construction planned for Cochrane, AB
April 7, 2017
By
CCE
Selection of an engineering consultant will begin this year, and once design and engineering are complete construction could begin as early as fall 2019.
(source: Alberta Transportation)
The province of Alberta has announced money from Budget 2017 will be invested in a new interchange in the Town of Cochrane at highways 1A and 22.
Located about 30 minutes northwest of Calgary, this intersection, which sees an average of more than 27,000 vehicles per day, was originally planned to be a widened at-grade intersection, but with the significant growth of Cochrane over the years, it was determined the town would outgrow the intersection within 10 years.
After consulting with the Town, Alberta Transportation thought the best alternative was an interchange to alleviate the operational issues well into the future.
The project is estimated to cost between $40 to 50 million. It will include:
- Twinning of Highway 1A under a twinned Highway 22 structure;
- Construction of a twinned Highway 22 bridge structure over the CPR mainline;
- Ramps to access both Highway 1A and 22; and,
- Highway 1A bridges over Big Hill Creek.
Selection of an engineering consultant will begin this year, and once design and engineering are complete construction could begin as early as fall 2019. It is expected to take about two years to complete construction.
“Building this interchange at Highways 1A and 22 will reduce travel time for businesses and locals and support more efficient transport of people and goods in this region. It will also help Albertans spend less time on the road and more time with their families,” said Brian Mason, Minister of Transportation in a media release.
