COLD LAKE - As Cold Lake’s population is projected to nearly double over the next 25 years - from just under 15,000 to approximately 30,000 people - the city is planning ahead to accommodate this rapid growth.
Cold Lake City council recently received a presentation that featured the unveiling of the updated 2024 Transportation Master Plan (TMP), presented by Innovative Systems and Logistics Engineering (ISL) at the Nov. 19 Corporate Priorities meeting.
The newly updated 2024 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is a strategic blueprint designed to guide the city’s infrastructure development, addressing everything from traffic flow to pedestrian safety.
Key recommendations include expanding Highway 28 to meet future demand, enhancing transit options with on-demand services, and filling gaps in the city's pedestrian networks to ensure seamless connectivity. With infrastructure upgrades and safety measures at the forefront, Cold Lake is preparing its transportation systems to keep pace with its growing population.
“At the 15-year growth horizon there is significant growth assumed in North Cold Lake, north of Highway 55, with some south. At the 25-year horizon, there's significant growth assumed east of Highway 28 between North and South Cold Lake,” said Dan Zegler, Sustainable Transportation Lead at ISL Engineering.
Speaking to council, Zegler said the plan found that while many traffic incidents were reported in parking lots, two high-risk intersections were also identified as major safety concerns - Highway 28 at 50th Avenue and Highway 28 at 55th Avenue. He recommended further safety reviews for these locations.
Overall plan
The Transportation Master Plan, developed in consultation with the City of Cold Lake, provides a strategic roadmap for addressing the city's transportation needs over the next 25 years, focusing on growth, sustainability, and infrastructure improvements.
According to ISL Engineering, the company specializes in community infrastructure, offering integrated services such as transportation, civil engineering, environmental management, and more.
“ISL as a company has done quite a few projects here for the city,” said Zegler.
The previous TMP was completed in 2012. The new version incorporates data on growth, traffic counts, and travel patterns while addressing existing and future needs for vehicles, transit, goods movement, and pedestrians.
“The plan also accounts for current transportation demands, so traffic count data and travel pattern data, and the existing network for all modes of transportation,” Zegler explained.
Key findings and recommendations
“Primary outcomes of the Transportation Master Plan that were included in our scope of work are the existing and future transportation network conditions as a result of land use growth, including the transportation services needed to support growth,” Zegler stated.
Speaking about Highway 28, Zegler stated, “Items that were assessed include the suitability of the Highway 28 corridor and the future expansion based on the functional study to support growth." He emphasizing the importance of adapting the corridor for anticipated demand.
Transit services were also reviewed, with recommendations for improvements, including potential on-demand services for low-ridership areas.
“It is a common more popular type of transit service that we're seeing around Alberta now,” Zegler said.
For pedestrian networks, Zegler highlighted gaps in connectivity and areas needing repair
“Missing gaps are shown on the plan in yellow. These should be filled in as needed,” he said. He also pointed to opportunities for downtown parking strategies and minor adjustments to improve traffic flow and safety.
Traffic calming and safety
The presentation also covered traffic calming measures, including curb extensions and raised crosswalks.
“These are the standard of deflection that's identified in the Canadian Traffic Column and guidance suitable for emergency vehicles and snow clearing,” Zegler explained.
Zegler shared collision data collected from 2016 to 2021, noting higher incidents in November and March, likely due to winter road conditions.
Next steps
The TMP will be finalized following a public engagement event on Dec. 5.
Zegler said the next steps involve addressing any comments or questions raised, with the final report to be completed after.
