CALGARY, Alta. — The 84th Street S.E. Access Association says it is buoyed by the impression that Alberta’s Minister of Transportation appears to be receptive to its concerns about the Calgary Ring Road.

On Apr. 8th, the association met with Minister Luke Ouellette to talk about the access/egress issue with respect to the construction of the S.E. section of the Ring Road.

“The Minister is willing to work with the association in their endeavour to have a partial interchange built at 61st Avenue and the S.E. Ring Road,” said association president Dave Gilkes. “Alberta Transportation is willing to fund an overpass, but not the ramps connecting it to the S.E. Ring Road. The main concern for the Minister is that safety, and the flow of traffic for which the road is designed, is not compromised with the addition of a partial interchange. The addition of this type of interchange will be contingent upon an engineering report which assures no change in safety with the addition of the ramps.”

The association has organized a follow-up meeting with Alberta Transportation on Apr. 21. Representatives from the Municipal District (MD) of Rocky View and the city of Calgary, has expressed interest in attending, according to Gilkes.

“The association will be questioning the MD and the city about funding the ramps for the interchange or other options,” said Gilkes.