After new Premier Jim Prentice stated his belief that Highway 28 was “among the worst highways in Alberta” in Edmonton last month, Alberta Transportation admitted a potential project to develop the road was under consideration for its revamped three-year capital project.
Speaking to the Nouvelle last week, spokesperson for Alberta Transportation Christine Way said the ministry would take the premier's words into consideration, amongst other factors when determining whether or not the road was in need of re-construction.
“We are currently in the process of putting together our capital plan and three-year construction program for 2015/2016 and we are starting to look at (potentially developing) portions of 28 as we put together this priority list in time for the 2015 Budget,” Way said.
“We'll be taking many factors, including the premier's views, into account for that list. The premier's opinion certainly matters to us and we'll be taking that into account along with the condition of the road itself and weighing that against the condition of other roads in the province.”
She added, “Highway 28 is certainly on our radar.”
The premier's communications director Michael Evans also said that the development of Highway 28 was a “real possibility” sooner rather than later.
“The new government under the leadership of Jim Prentice is recalibrating its capital projects list, that process hasn't quite begun yet, but we expect that it should be complete sometime over the next couple of months,” Evans said. “Although we don't know for sure, I think we can anticipate there will be an announcement associated with Highway 28 given the Premier's comments about that highway.”
He added, “Twice, (Prentice) has singled that highway out for being in rough shape. He's said it's one of the worst highways in the province twice now.”
Having witnessed Prentice slamming the current state of Highway 28 at the annual Alberta Urban Municipalities Association convention (AUMA) last month, Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski and Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland were equally delighted to hear that the province intends to follow through with plans to develop the busy road.
“It was very encouraging to us as a council when we heard the new premier admit Highway 28 was (one of the worst highways),” Sobolewski said.
“All we've wanted to see (from the province) is for them to do something to improve the safety and overall drivability of that highway. It's a busy corridor and in its current state (poses a safety risk) to our residents.”
Sobolewski said he'd like to see the province eventually twin the highway, which runs from Edmonton all the way to Cold Lake.
Copeland said he was pleased to hear Alberta Transportation is starting to consider investing in what he considers to be the province's “forgotten highway”.
“I'm excited to hear that Highway 28 could potentially fit into the province's three year plan. It will be interesting to see exactly what Alberta Transportation has planned,” Copeland said.
“I know we don't have anything in writing yet, but it's encouraging to hear the bureaucrats finally speaking the same language as us. It's been incredibly frustrating over the past couple of years because for whatever reason, Highway 28 has been the forgotten highway.”
He added, “We've all been lobbying this issue pretty hard here in northeastern Alberta – I think the best thing for us was to have the new premier travelling on the road because he got to feel first hand the extreme sensation that everyone else gets driving on it.”
“Should we see development, this would greatly improve the safety on what has become a dangerous highway.
“Everyone knows the oilpatch isn't going away and when you look at the modules and the traffic on Highway 28 on a daily basis, it's about time (the province looked at developing it).”