Airdrie’s new 40th Avenue interchange will be open for business as of Friday morning.
The overpass, which has been under construction since April 30, 2021, officially opens to traffic at 7 a.m., with many drivers likely flocking to Airdrie’s newest access point of the QEII on the south end of the city.
A private ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 12 marked the completion of the much anticipated 40th Avenue interchange to QEII.
Mayor Peter Brown choked up as he spoke on behalf of the City to announce the completion of the long-awaited overpass, which was on time and on budget.
He said the need for the 40th avenue overpass was first identified in 1999, and since 2010 Airdrie administrations have been aggressively advocating for the bridge.
“This bridge opens access to our community, and, more importantly, improves safety and connectivity within our community,” Brown said. “Today we’re not just inaugurating a bridge, we’re dismantling barriers, clearing the path for progress, and embracing the endless opportunities that lie ahead for this great city.”
Among others, he thanked residents for their patience, the construction crews for their dedication, and the man in attendance who sold the land south of the overpass that kickstarted the process of the project.
At $65 million, this is the most expensive project in the history of the City of Airdrie, Brown added.
“[The addition of the 40th Avenue interchange] will reduce traffic on Yankee Valley Boulevard, improving connectivity throughout south Airdrie,” Brown said. “It will significantly improve access to businesses located in Kings Heights, South Point, and Sierra Springs areas, allowing for timely movement of goods and services, as well as easier access for employees and customers.”
The bridge will also help to attract new businesses and residents, Brown said, increasing assessments and revenues.
Shane Beazly, the vice-president of the EllisDon construction company which managed the project, noted the build faced several challenges such as inflation, supply chain challenges, and labour shortages.
“We have completed many infrastructure projects across Canada but few have generated the remarkable support and dedication from the community and its leaders that we have seen on this project,” Beazly said.
He praised the collaboration between their team, City staff, and the engineering team.
Several local contractors were involved in this project and strong relationships were formed with businesses throughout the community, he added.
Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, praised the advocacy from the City of Airdrie for this project.
“Almost $30 million was committed by the province of Alberta to get this project completed, and speaking with city officials, there’s always the next project,” Dreeshen said prior to the ceremony. “As a growing city there’s always going to be those types of construction pressures. So we, as the Province, want to be able to work with the City of Airdrie and other communities that are rapidly growing to make sure their infrastructure lives up to the expectations of people that call this place home.”
During his speech he mentioned there are about 85,000 vehicles that travel per day through the area, including about 7,000 commercial vehicles.
“This is obviously a heavily used area and to make sure we have a road network that lives up to the expectations is so important,” he said.
Airdrie-Cochrane MLA, Peter Guthrie, also took the microphone to congratulate the City. He noted the project would not have happened without the work and leadership of Airdrie’s Mayor Peter Brown.
“The growth in this area has been tremendous and we needed some relief,” he said. “I’m happy to see this come to fruition.”
He anticipates commercial and residential development to flourish in the area, he said.
“This project, valued at approximately $65 million, represents a significant milestone in Airdrie's development,” said Adam Carroll, project manager, Capital Projects Office. “We are proud, in collaboration with EllisDon, to deliver this project on time and on budget.”
The interchange project includes a QEII overpass with on and off ramps, two overpasses over the CP Rail and Main Street, as well as a bridge over Nose Creek.
The project realigned Nose Creek, brought in over 500,000 cubic metres of clean fill, added four sets of traffic signals, and placed over 32,000 tonnes of asphalt.
Over the course of the project, Airdrie dealt with numerous road closures and speed changes, including the permanent closure of Kingsview Road at Sharp Hill Way in the spring of 2022.
According to the City’s website, the new interchange will provide critical transportation infrastructure that will support development of future lands. This project will benefit a future development area nearly 7,500 acres of land in size, which will yield about 36,000 residential units, 2,100 acres of industrial and 400 acres of commercial development over a 30-year period.
