Gasoline Alley’s McKenzie Road roundabouts are now open.
All movements on the roundabouts and across the McKenzie bridge are available, said Red Deer County on Thursday.
Signage and barricades will still be in place. Red Deer County asks drivers to exercise caution, slow down and respect speed limits in designated areas.
The two intersections were controlled with traffic lights but those have been eliminated now that the roundabouts have been completed as part of a $7.25-million project. Construction began in the spring.
As part of the road overhaul, the bridge over Highway 2 was upgraded so that it can be expanded to four lanes in the future.
Alberta Transportation is contributing $6.55 million and the county is covering the rest.
Red Deer County Mayor Jim Wood said the roundabouts will make a big difference to traffic flow in the fast-growing Gasoline Alley area.
“We’ve seen a lot of growth in the last while, right through the recession,” he said. “We want people to come into Gasoline Alley and the traffic had to be handled.”
The project came in on time and on budget.
“We’re happy with the job,” he said. He also thanked all the drivers and businesses for their patience in putting up with months of disruption in the area.
The project is expected to improve traffic flow into the fast-growing Gasoline Alley area and set the stage for the eventual expansion of McKenzie Road to four lanes.
The county has undertaken a number of roundabout projects in Gasoline Alley.
In September, a roundabout at Highway 2A and Township road 372 (Airport Drive) was opened, as well as the Lantern Street East roundabout in Gasoline Alley.
For an overview of the project visit: https://youtu.be/bMOx2ITrIPg.
Visit www.rdcounty.ca/RoadConstruction for more information.