By Shaun Penner

County Funding

County of Grande Prairie getting over $1-million from Province for road work projects

Apr 8, 2019 | 3:49 PM

The County of Grande Prairie is getting over $1-million in provincial funding to help cover the costs of a pair of infrastructure projects.

Under the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program, the province will help cover 75% (up to $183,750) of bridge maintenance work on Range Road 65, as well as 50% (up to $975,000) for road work on Range Road 125.

The location of the bridge that will be getting repairs (Photo: County of Grande Prairie)

The latter project is for expansion to the intersection with Highway 43, amid traffic safety concerns in that area.

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“At that point, a lot of industrial traffic turns off the highway (and) goes to these gas plants,” says Director of Public Works Dale Van Volkingburgh. “They’re finding a lot of near misses and conflicts for the motor traffic going towards Dawson Creek. So, it’s really to make that intersection better (and) safer for the future.”

Location of the road work project along Range Road 125 (Photo: County of Grande Prairie)

STIP provides funding to four different types of projects, including a Local Road Bridge Program and a Resource Road Program. The County typically applies for these grants every fall, with these two projects being granted this year. Public Works has also applied to the Federal Government’s Investing in Canada’ Infrastructure Program (ICIP) for additional money for the projects, and is currently awaiting response.

The intersection expansion project will also done in partnership with Veresen Midstream, who have a gas plant in the area. Van Volkingburgh further adds that this road expansion will help with Veresen’s planned expansion of their Hythe plant.

“It’s making the highway safe and the intersection safe, (while) also supporting the expansion which brings more taxes to the County of Grande Prairie,” said Van Volkingburgh.

The partnership would have both parties covering 50% of the remaining costs, or 25% each.

There is currently no set timeline for when these projects will be completed.