Henday upgrades ahead

This summer’s work on the Anthony Henday will mean better business for St. Albert, say local leaders.

Crews are going full steam ahead this summer to build the last leg of Anthony Henday Drive. The 27-kilometre $1.8 billion stretch of road will feature nine new interchanges and two bridges when complete, and will be the biggest highway construction project in Alberta history.

“This summer is going to be one of the busiest construction seasons for the project,” said Christine Way, press secretary for Alberta Transportation Minister Wayne Drysdale. Crews expect to work a collective 1.4 million hours before the end of the season.

Crews are now constructing the second half of a bridge over the North Saskatchewan River as well as an interchange at Sherwood Drive and Yellowhead Trail northeast of Sherwood Park, Way said. They also plan to finish the southbound lanes on the Yellowhead-Sherwood Park Freeway interchange this summer. Edmonton’s 18th Street will reopen, while the 167 Ave./Fort Road intersection will close permanently.

Work to hook these new bits of road to the rest of the Henday at Manning Dr. won’t happen this year, Way said. It’s on schedule to be done by 2016, though, letting drivers motor all around Edmonton more or less uninterrupted.

Drivers should expect to see about 17 different construction sites along the northeast leg of the Henday this summer, Way said. Traffic delays, closed lanes and lower speed limits should all be expected.

This chunk of highway is the last piece of the Henday puzzle, said Ivan Mayer, president of the Riel Business Park Association and frequent driver on the Henday.

“It’s going to help everyone who’s on that loop.”

While most of St. Albert’s truck traffic comes from the south (and the U.S.) or west (and the B.C. coast), the city does get a lot of customers that want to drive in from the northeast, Mayer said. Right now, those customers don’t have a straight path to get to this city.

“This will make it much easier to find us.”

A finished Henday will mean more economic development for St. Albert, said Mayor Nolan Crouse.

“People are going to be able to live here and work elsewhere,” he said.

“It’s bringing the region closer together.”

This leg of the Henday is scheduled to open for traffic in November 2016.