BANFF, Alta. (May 4, 2005) — Lyle Oberg, Alberta’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, told a group of Alberta fleet owners that road work making up the southeast section of the Edmonton’s ring road may be completed nearly a year ahead of schedule. He also added that plans to finalize Calgary’s own ring road are moving rapidly.

Speaking to truckers at the Alberta Motor Transport Association’s annual conference in Banff, Alta. this past weekend, Oberg said he’s witnessed crews working feverishly day and night on construction of the Anthony Henday Drive S.E., which will connect the southern part of Hwy. 2 to Hwy. 14/216.

He announced that it looks like that part of the ring road project — an 11 km stretch with six lanes between Hwy. 2 and 50th St. and four lanes between 50th and Hwy. 14/216 — could be completed by fall 2005. The road will have 24 separate bridge structures, including five interchanges, and there will be no traffic lights. It will also come with a 30-year warranty.

“What that means is they’re going to build it to the highest standards possible, because they don’t want to go back and fix anything,” Oberg said.

Oberg also gave an update on Calgary’s planned ring road, saying that negotiations between the government and Chief Sandford Big Plume of the Tsuu T’ina First Nation are quickly moving forward. Recently, Alberta Transportation signed an official framework agreement with the chief for construction of the ring road on Nation lands. The road would be a divided, multi-lane freeway connecting Highway 22X to Glenmore Trail.

Oberg says he’s confident the deal will be finalized soon. Construction will begin shortly thereafter, and the province says it hopes to complete the project by late 2008 or early 2009.

As for the proposed rail link from Edmonton to the oilsands in Fort McMurray, Today’s Trucking reported recently that Premier Ralph Klein has backed off committing government cash for the project. But Oberg confirmed that the province will fund improvements to Hwy. 63 to Fort McMurray, which includes passing lanes and rest areas, before possibly twinning the highway in 5-10 years time.

In fact, he returned to Calgary this week to officially announce that the government will spend $530 million in the next decade on such new highway projects, starting with a $41 million investment on Hwy. 63 and Hwy. 881 between Anzac and Lac La Biche.

“We have to continue to look for alternatives,” he said in Banff. ‘It’s crucial to Alberta we keep Fort McMurray moving.” However, he did add such a project is currently not in the province’s budget.