Construction companies can now bid on the next phase of the twinning of Highway 40. The provincial government has put the project out to tender, with November 2nd as the deadline to submit.
“As the Grande Prairie region continues to grow, particularly south of the city, residents have had to deal with higher volumes of industrial and commuter traffic,” says Minister of Transportation Prasad Panda. “Twinning Highway 40 will not only improve safety for travellers but will support economic growth and job creation in Grande Prairie and northwestern Alberta.”
The next phase includes twinning another 10 kilometres of the highway from Township Road 666 south to Township Road 700 near the Nordbord mill. It also includes grading and paving, a roundabout at Township Road 700, a concrete girder bridge over the Weyerhaeuser Haul Road, a median vehicle inspection station, a bridge culvert, and slide remediation.
It’s expected the work will take two years to complete and is noted the section of the road has a daily traffic count of about 4,300 vehicles.
“Twinning Highway 40 will be a key driver for economic growth and job creation in the Grande Prairie area and will run through a vital corridor of the region,” adds Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard. “On behalf of my constituents, we are grateful for the continued investment in the region as our community and local economy continues to grow.”
Nine kilometres of Highway 40 south of the City of Grande Prairie limits to Highway 666 were paved in 2021 by Carmacks Enterprises, along with the start of construction of a second bridge over the Wapiti River. In total, 19 kilometres will be twinned.
The estimated cost of the full project is $106 million. A cost-sharing agreement is in place between the provincial government, the County of Grande Prairie, and the Municipal District of Greenview, with the MP providing 50 per cent up to $60 million and the County providing $10 million.