On the books for years, Sturgeon County recently settled on a specific route for the realignment of 127 Street.
The future road, which currently dead-ends north of Edmonton, is supposed to hook into the Anthony Henday and connect to Highway 2 north of St. Albert.
The County decided the street will cut along the northeast edge of Riverlot 56 and run west of the Club and Residences of River’s Gate, a new development in Sturgeon County.
“What this does is it effectively plans where the route is … so that when planning goes forward it doesn’t park things in front of it so it doesn’t cause problems 20 years down the road,” said County Coun. Tom Flynn.
Construction of the street is not to begin for years but overall costs for the realignment are slated at about $136 million.
That amount accounts for the realignment of the entire street from Edmonton, all the way through the Sturgeon Valley and connecting it to Hwy. 2. It also includes the construction of an underpass under the train tracks and a bridge across the Sturgeon River.
Upon completion, the four-lane divided arterial roadway is expected to divert 12,000 drivers from St. Albert Trail and other roads in the Sturgeon Valley.
Kyle Reiling, vice-president of business development for St. Albert-based Landrex Developers, said the realignment will strengthen the overall transportation network in the region and provide residents with more options to get to the land north of St. Albert.
Landrex is currently involved in the development of several projects in St. Albert’s Erin Ridge North, including the construction of a Costco.
“We are fully supportive of such a development and it would be a key economic driver not only for the region but also for Landrex as we develop in that area,” he said.
Funding
Flynn said the County may look to some of the developers and industry in the region to participate in financing the project one day. A significant portion of the development could also be funded through government grants, he said.
“I really don’t see the present residents being taxed to do it. I don’t see that happening at all. I would oppose that,” he said.
“It’s future growth that has to pay for it. Whether that’s out of developers, or out of the industry, or out of the provincial government. And some of the municipal neighbours may find it’s to their advantage to contribute.”
St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse said he was supportive of the realignment as it would take traffic off St. Albert Trail and allow for a better connection to the North and into Edmonton.
He added the street might form the northern boundary between St. Albert and Sturgeon County one day.
While he expects the County will be challenged with financing the project, he said there has been no conversation to put money toward its construction from St. Albert.
“The County has done the alignments and St. Albert and Edmonton had participated in giving input into the alignment so I am happy with that,” he said.
“How it ever gets paid for has not been a conversation at all with the City of St. Albert.”
Mary Ann Cuvilier, president of the Riverlot 56 Natural Area Society, said she would have preferred a different route for the realignment. She said the whole river system is an animal corridor and the Riverlot is part of that.
That could cause problems in the future, with animals crossing the road and running into cars.
“There are lots of locations where there are wildlife corridors through there and of course that is a danger for the animals,” she said.
“But it’s also a danger for the motorists.”
Adding an overpass or fences could make the road safer for animals and drivers, she suggested. She hopes the County will make provisions for animal corridors in the future.
