Roadwork is underway to improve and repair roads both in Drumheller and on the roads and highways surrounding the valley.
The work includes replacing Bridge 4 over the Rosebud River south of Wayne, slide repairs along Highway 575, and two projects repairing and repaving sections of Highway 9.
James Klassen, constituency assistant for Drumheller-Stettler MLA Nate Horner, shared information from Alberta Transportation regarding the two Highway 9 projects with the Mail. “Alberta’s government is investing nearly $2 billion in 2020-2021 under the Capital Maintenance and Renewal program to fix bridges, resurface roads, and fill potholes to get thousands of Albertans back to work.”
Locally, repairs were made to a section of Highway 9 that runs from Railway Avenue to 2nd Avenue W. Although the road runs through Drumheller, it is maintained by Alberta Transportation and was part of a number of highway improvement projects province-wide.
Improvements outside of Drumheller municipal limits have also begun.
Repaving to a 20 kilometre section of Highway 9 between Beiseker and Drumheller began on September 3. The project will involve “milling out failing asphalt” and repaving. It is anticipated this project will be completed within 45 days.
Another 15 kilometre stretch of Highway 9, from west of Highway 21 to east of Highway 836 (Carbon corner), will undergo crack sealing and paving. This work has not yet started, though the work “is expected to last 28 days” according to Klassen.
Highway 10X will also see road work to replace Bridge 4, which crosses the Rosebud River approximately three kilometres south of Wayne.
The existing bridge was originally built in 1928 and has reached the end of its service life; to maintain public safety, the bridge will be replaced with a new, two lane steel truss bridge, “similar to the existing structure,” according to a public fact sheet from Alberta Transportation.
The tender to replace Bridge 4 was awarded to Alberco and is estimated to cost $5.1 million. Work is anticipated to begin later in September, and final completion is projected to be summer 2021. Residents and visitors can expect delays and detours starting in October according to the fact sheet.
Street Improvement Program projects within Drumheller, which includes resurfacing of the parking lot at Shopper Drug Mart and repairs to Cedar Crescent, are wrapping up.
