The latest update on the highway 1A and 22 intersection

There may not be shovels in the ground yet, but according to Airdrie/Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie, things are progressing with the Highway 1A and Highway 22 intersection. Guthrie hosted a visit from the Minister of Finance, Travis Toews last week at which time the economic recovery plan was discussed. Infrastructure projects and eliminating red tape were a couple of the catchphrases heard in the Minister’s speech. Both topics led directly to the question of the Highway 1A and 22 intersection project. Guthrie says, “Yes, 1A and 22, we are working on this very hard. There’s a couple of things that are going on right now. One is the third phase of the archeological dig. That will be done this year and that will be completed.”

Once the dig is out of the way the next hurdle is, “The utility crossing on the west side of 1A and 22 intersection. There are a few different companies that we are working with, but because it is private industry, we have to negotiate each one of them (I think it’s seven) different utility crossings. Needless to say, despite the UCP’s wishing to eliminate red tape this project may be mired in it. Guthrie says, “So each one of them is going to have their own unique engineering that’s involved in it. That’s really the most complex part of it.”

While the process seems painfully slow to Cochranites, Guthrie assures us, “We will get it done, we are working on it. Our government understands how significant it is. Not just for the residents but for tourism as well as the commercial traffic. It is something that we know, we will continue to work on diligently and we will get it completed.”

Stay tuned for the next progress report hopefully sooner than later.