The new twinned bridge into the Town of Peace River is now complete, with the lanes opening up to eastbound traffic on Monday.
The new bridge, of which construction began in 2017, and cost an estimated $162 million, is the first of two projects in the area. The province says rehabilitation on the original bridge is slated to be complete by 2022.
Peace River Mayor Tom Tarpay says the municipality is the gateway to northwestern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and having an expanded access point can only help the region going forward.
“This bridge is and has been a great addition to our community…throughout construction, it has bolstered the local economy,” he says.
“Infrastructure catalyzes development…[and] roads and bridges are the pipelines for Alberta’s most precious resource – its people.”
According to Alberta Transportation, around 17,000 vehicles per day cross over the bridge. The project also saw the installation of a w pedestrian crossing under the new bridge.