No. H112/11
For release - November 21, 2011
New interchanges pull out all the stops on Edmonton Ring Road
EDMONTON — Motorists travelling around Edmonton now have access to 69 kilometres of completely free flow travel on Anthony Henday Drive, thanks to five southwest interchanges that have replaced the last remaining lights on the freeway.
Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, and Minister for the Status of Women, joined Ray Danyluk, Minister of Alberta Transportation, to mark the completion of the new construction. The interchanges reduce travel time and allow motorists to enter and exit the freeway more safely and easily.
"Our government is pleased to partner with the Province of Alberta on this important project that will improve the overall flow of traffic along Anthony Henday Drive and provide better access to communities," said Minister Ambrose. "These interchanges have created jobs for Albertans and provide key transportation infrastructure that will promote long-term economic growth in the region."
"The completion of these interchanges — especially the crucial Stony Plain Road interchange — marks another big milestone in the Anthony Henday Drive project," said Minister Danyluk. "We are one step closer to completing the Edmonton Ring Road, which meets the local need of improved daily traffic, as well as the need for the efficient movement of goods and services in our commodity-based economy."
The interchanges — located at Stony Plain Road, Callingwood Road, Lessard Road, Rabbit Hill Road and Cameron Heights Drive — cost $270 million, with the Government of Alberta contributing $170 million, and $85 million coming from the Government of Canada. The first phase of the Rabbit Hill Road interchange was partially funded by the City of Edmonton and Windermere Lands Ltd, and was completed in 2009 at a cost of $15 million. The completion of these interchanges benefits the more than 40,000 motorists that use this portion of Anthony Henday Drive each day. The final traffic light, located at Cameron Heights Drive, was removed November 16.
Anthony Henday Drive is now 90 per cent complete. Investment to date for the southeast, southwest and northwest legs is $2.5 billion. This includes $160 million in federal funding and more than $2.3 billion from the Government of Alberta. Construction on the final leg of the ring road — Northeast Anthony Henday Drive — is slated to begin next summer, with completion scheduled for fall 2016.
The Anthony Henday Drive interchange openings mark another step towards 800 kilometres of free flow traffic from Nanton to Grande Prairie. For more information on the Edmonton Ring Road, visit www.transportation.alberta.ca.
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Contacts:
Pierre Floréa
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Ottawa
613-991-0700
Alison Burns
Communications
Alberta Transportation
780-660-1254
To call toll-free within Alberta,
dial 310-0000.
Media Relations
Transport Canada
Ottawa
613-993-0055
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