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Traffic detour for Hwy 2/Gaetz Avenue interchange

Work on target for fall 2018 opening
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Northbound Hwy 2 traffic will be detoured onto southbound lanes for about four weeks, weather permitting, as work on the Hwy 2 Gaetz Avenue Interchange Improvement Project continues.(Photo by Jeff Stokoe/Advocate staff)

Detour to affect traffic between Taylor Drive, Gaetz Avenue

Northbound Hwy 2 traffic will be detoured onto southbound lanes for about four weeks, weather permitting, as work on the Hwy 2 Gaetz Avenue Interchange Improvement Project continues.

The detour will affect traffic between Taylor Drive and south of Gaetz Avenue.

Both north and southbound highway traffic will travel in the southbound lanes. Two lanes will operate in each direction and traffic will be separated by concrete barriers.

As part of this work northbound Gaetz Avenue will be closed at Hwy 2.

Northbound Hwy 2 traffic wanting to access Gaetz Avenue will be detoured onto Gasoline Alley East, then will re-join Gaetz Avenue where northbound Gasoline Alley East merges onto Gaetz Avenue.

The detour is required to complete the new northbound lanes for Hwy 2.

The $100-million project replaces two existing bridges with four new bridges, reconfiguration of ramps and intersections, realignment of Hwy 2, expansion to six lanes between 32nd Street and McKenzie Road and the construction of new collector-distributor roads.

Chris Peterson, construction engineer with Alberta Transportation, said about one-third of the project is done. Girders for two bridges are complete, along with the concrete pour for one of the bridge decks.

He said weather has been good for the most part for the project, but Red Deer’s severe windstorm wrecked part of one of bridge’s concrete form work.

“That delayed us for a short amount of time. But we feel we’re still on track for having the entire project open to traffic in the fall of 2018,” Peterson said.

Reduced speed limits will remain in effect throughout the construction zone. Hwy 2 has been reduced to 80 km/h as work is ongoing through the day and night.

Drivers are asked to drive safely and obey the speed limits.