LAC LA BICHE – A total of $141 million will be allocated to invest in safety upgrades to Highway 881 from just south of Fort McMurray to Lac La Biche as part of a provincial investment in northern Alberta highways recently announced by the province.
On March 4, the government of Alberta announced $311 million is included in its 2025 budget to increase emergency route capacity on highways in northern Alberta over a three-year period.
According to information from the provincial government, the Highway 881 upgrades include 14 new passing lanes, an oversized load staging area, as well as several intersection upgrades. Construction is anticipated to take three to four years and be done by the fall of 2028.
Kevin Paré, councillor for Ward 2 with Lac La Biche County, says the work will improve Highway 811 and make it safer for people travelling the route, including residents of the municipality.
When Highway 881 was initially built, it was put together quickly to handle the traffic issues that were the result of construction of industrial plants up north, says Paré.
“The design was quick, the build was quick, and they left out key details in the building of [Highway] 881, which was shoulders . . . they didn’t put and passing lanes and rest areas,” Paré told Lakeland This Week. “Key safety issues were overlooked, so now, they’re using this money at this time to upgrade those safety concerns.”
Upgrading Highway 881, as well as other routes in the region, will have an economic benefit for the area, added Paré.
Key infrastructure like this is crucial for the attraction and retention of residents who want to move to the Lac La Biche area.
“If they can get in and out of Lac La Biche County safely to work, or to Edmonton to do shopping and whatever, that’s key as an attraction to bring people that want to live here in,” Paré stated.
In addition to the Highway 881 upgrades, other investments from the government of Alberta include detailed design work to extend Highway 686 between Peerless Lake and Fort McMurray, as well as investing in other projects that are already underway or in the planning phases, including $101 million allocated for twinning Highway 63 north of Fort McMurray, between Mildred Lake and the Peter Lougheed Bridge.
MLA Brian Jean, who represents the constituency of Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, spoke highly of the recently announced investments. He believes the funding makes it clear that northern Alberta is important to the provincial government.
“These infrastructure projects will boost safety and economic corridors, especially for people in the Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche region, and better connect Indigenous communities,” said Jean.
Safety amid wildfires was also a considering of the funding, according to the province.
“Wildfires underscore the need for more emergency egress routes. That’s why we are starting detailed design work to extend Highway 686 between Peerless Lake and Fort McMurray, creating a new emergency route for northern residents and a new east-west economic corridor in this resource-rich part of Alberta,” said Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.
