Erin Stuart, General Manager of Development Services, discusses summer 2023 road construction at Civic Yards on Wednesday. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

By Alessia Proietti

Major roadways: Improve safety & capacity

City of Red Deer shares construction projects for summer 2023; 19 Street, Taylor Drive, and more

Mar 29, 2023 | 4:08 PM

With spring in the air, road construction season is nearly upon Red Deerians, leaving the City to share various projects scheduled over the coming months aimed at improving the safety and capacity of its transportation network.

City staff and members of council presented the plan at a press conference on Wednesday at Civic Yards (7721 40 Ave), largely encompassing major infrastructure projects, such as the 19 Street Improvement Project, routine road maintenance programs, and underground utility work with water and sanitary main replacements to keep critical infrastructure in good shape.

19 STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

The City says the 19 Street Improvement Project will improve safety, movement and capacity on one of Red Deer’s major arterial roadways. This project is expected to take place over the next two years, consisting of:

• Roadway rehabilitation: Officials say 19 St between Irwin Ave and Gaetz Ave is an over 20-year old road in need of upgrades to the entire road infrastructure to maintain the road’s integrity. Construction is estimated to begin in May, when underground frost thaws, and be completed by October.
• Roundabout at 19 St and 40 Ave: Officials claim construction of a multi-lane modern roundabout at 19 St and 40 Ave will improve intersection capacity, reduce overall traffic delays by 80 per cent, and improve safety for all road users. Construction is anticipated for Spring 2024.
• Trail connections: New multi-use trails will be built to provide better multi-modal connectivity between neighbourhoods, parks, and commercial spaces.

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“Throughout this improvement project, our goal is to keep people moving efficiently through the construction zone,” said Russ Watts, Acting Engineering Services Manager. “Traffic in both directions will remain open throughout construction with reduced lanes and left turns through the construction site will not be permitted.”

The budget for the project is $25 million and right hand turns will only be permitted at the intersection of 19 St and 40 Ave which will continue with normal signalization until construction on the roundabout.

Watts explained that with the city’s traffic patterns and growth, a roundabout will be needed within 20 years with three conventional improvement projects along the way. As a result, he says the City is saving money by completing the roundabout now, and increasing safety as, for example, collisions would take place at lower speeds.

Red Deer drivers may have noticed new signage on 19 St regarding the upcoming project.

“It’s kind of cheeky but really just a great way of making light of the current situation, recognizing that we do feel the same as the citizens and recognize the condition of the roadway but that there is an improvement in sight,” said Erin Stuart, General Manager of Development Services.

TAYLOR DRIVE

Between May and August, the City says crews will be performing pavement rehabilitation and bridge upgrades on the northbound lanes of the Taylor Drive Bridge. Traffic will be diverted to the southbound lanes, with travel open in both directions.

Starting late summer for roughly three months, the City says they will be replacing the downstream end of the Waskasoo Creek Culvert near Taylor Dr and 28 St with single lane traffic through the area.

Motorists will also see City crews paving, micro-surfacing, and doing other road and trail upgrades, such as pothole and frost heave repair at numerous places around the city. They say many of these projects are shorter term, with minimal impacts to traffic.

He says the cost-effective technique of micro-surfacing, introduced in 2020, is a thin surface treatment applied to existing asphalt. He says it can extend the life-cycle of the road for up to two years by sealing its surface to prevent infiltration of water into the road base which can lead to pot holes and quicker degradation. He states two micro-surface applications can be made on a road, giving it a rougher surface which can give better traction control in winter months, before it must be completely removed and repaved.

This year’s budget, Sikora confirmed, allots roughly $1 million for micro-surfacing and involves mainly sections of 32 St and 19 St.

“We also ask that drivers pay attention and follow construction zone speed limits, particularly when they are entering into these coned construction areas and please obey the flag people. While these projects may cause you an occasional slow down, our staff and subcontractors are people who live here in this community that have loved ones waiting for them at home and we all have a responsibility as drivers to keep them safe,” said Greg Sikora, Parks and Public Works Manager.

Sikora advised residents that if they see work needed on a particular street, they can call the direct line at 403-342-8238 or use the “Report a Problem” feature on the City’s website which goes directly into the queue for faster service delivery.

City officials say expected delays will be posted on the Construction Season Traffic Impact Map and more information can be found at www.reddeer.ca/constructionseason.

The City says the projects are in line with typical annual budgets. They expect construction to be fully complete in Fall 2024, with work taking place from Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and no traffic disruptions during winter months.

“We know construction season isn’t easy, but it will be worth it,” the City said in a release.