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Road projects worth millions

Road project worth millions

As the old joke has it, if it’s not winter, it’s construction season.

The City of Red Deer rolled out details on its latest road plans on Monday morning, including three major projects worth more than $65 million.

The construction will mean some intersections will be closed completely for two to five months. Some routes will have lane closures.

Elaine Vincent, the city’s director of development services, said traffic delays will be inevitable at times and asks that the public be patient.

“We know it won’t be easy but it will be worth it,” said Vincent.

To help drivers get around, the city is launching a route planning site on its website. Drivers will be able to plug in their location and destination and the best route will be shown. It will be up and running in about two weeks at www.reddeer.ca/constructionseason.

Heading the list of major projects is the $36-million 67th Street and 30th Avenue Extension Project. It involves extending 30th Avenue by two km, 67th Street by one km, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of the two roads.

The project is cost-shared with the federal and provincial governments.

Construction will begin next month and will be finished early in the summer of 2015, assuming the weather co-operates. Partial road closures will take place.

Taking out the curve has long been in city plans, and building a roundabout is considered safer and more efficient than a standard intersection.

A $20-million, two-year project will also get underway this season to improve Taylor Drive and its intersection at 49th Street, including much-improved pedestrian access.

Drivers be warned: sections of Taylor Drive and the busy intersection near Real Canadian Superstore and the access at 48th Street will be closed from mid-May to late-October. Temporary single-lane north and south roads will be laid out, but traffic will be slow through the area.

The second year of the project will focus on realigning 48th Street (Alexander Way) to create an intersection with a pedestrian crossing connecting the downtown to the Riverlands.

Another two-year project is slated for 55th Street. Sixty-year-old water and sewer lines will be replaced, the road slightly widened and new paths and sidewalks built as part of a $9.4-million project.

At the start of July, 55th Street will be closed from 50th to 48th Avenue and from 42A to 46th Avenue for two months. The intersection at 55th street and 49th Avenue will remain open.

While construction is underway, only local traffic will be allowed to use 49A Avenue.

pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com