By Erika Chorostil

Twinning section between Highway 60 and RR 261

Province breaks ground on Phase 2 of Highway 19 twinning project

Mar 30, 2021 | 10:24 AM

The province of Alberta has broken ground on Phase 2 of the Highway 19 west twinning project, south of Devon.

The Alberta government is providing $48.9 million in funding for Phase 2, which will twin the 3.5 kilometre section of Highway 19 east of Highway 60 to Range Road 261.

This part of the project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2022.

Phase 1 (east section) was completed in the Fall of 2019, connecting the QEII Highway and Range Road 253.

Phase 3 (middle section), currently in the detailed design phase, will eventually twin the remaining section of Highway 19, between Range Road 261 and Range Road 253.

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The twinning project will improve the movement of goods to major highways, rail services, and the Edmonton International Airport while creating approximately 400 jobs.

Twinning will also improve motorists’ safety by reducing the chance of head-on collisions for the nearly 10,000 commuter and commercial vehicles that travel the highway each day.

In the past five years, there have been 223 collisions on Highway 19, which resulted in two fatalities, 81 injuries, and 166 serious property damage collisions, according to the Alberta government.

“Every Albertan should be able to get home safely every day,” says Ric McIver, Minister of Transportation and Municipal Affairs. “Twinning Highway 19 improves safety for both commercial and commuter travellers and makes it more efficient to get Alberta’s goods to market. By breaking ground on the western phase, we’re one step closer to a fully twinned Highway 19.”

MLA for Drayton Valley-Devon Mark Smith says the highway is a critical piece of infrastructure for his constituency.

“The twinning of Highway 19 will address the safety concerns and traffic volume issues that have been evident for many years on this very busy highway,” Smith explains. “As one of the key arteries for the transportation of goods, it will also play an important part in helping to grow and diversify the regional economy.”

Mayor of Devon, Ray Ralph, says the safety of residents is a main concern and priority.

“We have been advocating for the twinning of Highway 19 for years here in Devon and are thrilled to finally be able to share that the west phase of the project will begin construction in 2021,” says Ralph. “The safety of our residents is and will always be our top concern and this project is a great next step towards protecting the lives of those who use Highway 19 to commute on a regular basis.”

The province says the west phase of the project will include 3.5 kilometres of twinning of Highway 19, grade widening on Highway 60, and multiple intersection improvements.

In addition to the province’s financial contribution, the federal government is providing $27.7 million for the project, and the Town of Devon is funding $2.2 million.