Highway 40
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Learn more about the Highway 40 corridor and the work undertaken so far.
View Functional Plans Below:
Alberta Transportation has retained CastleGlenn Consultants Inc. to undertake an assessment of the existing Highway 40 corridor to determine the short-term improvements that would improve traffic safety and to identify the long-term corridor requirements necessary to protect the integrity of the highway corridor.
The study included a review of existing and future traffic operations, roadway geometrics, historic/archeological/heritage resources, environmental, geotechnical, drainage, structural and hydrological characteristics. The study area is approximately 85 km in length which includes the Norbord Access in the north and the Kakwa River bridge to the south.
This section of Highway 40 forms a major north-south highway that supports significant heavy industrial, agricultural and resource industry developments.
The project:
- addressed existing highway operations and safety concerns within the study area;
- identified issues, constraints and solutions to accommodate future economic development;
- identified infrastructure improvements including intersection upgrades, new service roads, local road enhancements and the long-term highway requirements (Explore the interactive map to see the proposed improvements); and
- identify the required property to implement the recommended improvements.
The project ensures the integrity of the future Highway 40 corridor, inclusive of short term improvements that benefit existing safety concerns and long term widenings to support economic growth within the region.
The Highway 40 corridor is accessed by a network of connecting roadways and accesses that must ensure accessibility to a variety of industries, landowners and developments.
Highway 40 Study Area
What is the Highway 40 Network Review Study Process?
Review existing conditions and current constraints
The first project phase involved compiling background information within the study area, determining current traffic trends and geometric constraints and evaluating the existing corridor from a geometric and safety perspective.
Identify Alternative Network Improvements
The second phase that is currently on-going involves developing a host of potential future improvements to the corridor
Evaluate, Analyze, and Recommend Long-Term Plan
The previously identified improvements are evaluated to determine a long-term strategy that bets supports the transportation requirements of the Highway 40 corridor
Develop Interim Staged Solution
The long-term plan is worked backwards to determine the optimum staging strategy and short-term improvements that best alleviate existing deficiencies while maintaining the integrity of the corridor.
Functional Plans and Final Report
The final phase of the study would involve formalizing the recommendations in the form of a final report and drawing package. The drawing package includes the final long-term and short-term functional plans, provisional reservation drawings and required right-of-way needs to accommodate the vision for the corridor.
The Highway 40 Study Key Design Initiatives
The Highway 40 Network Review Study aims to develop short-and-long term solutions to ensure the integrity of more than 85 km of the highway corridor.
Roadway and Intersection Safety
The study will analyze and evaluate historical safety collisions and current geometric deficiencies to identify locations that are suitable for infrastructure improvements that would enhance roadway safety. A holistic approach will be taken to recommend safety improvements to the corridor where required.
Heavy Vehicle Accommodations
Highway 40 is a heavily used active resource related highway with natural resource developments in the oil and gas sector along with logging. This heavy vehicle traffic accounts for 30 percent of all traffic on a daily basis. The study will evaluate the requirements for such improvements as climbing lanes, passing lanes, chain on/off areas, traffic signal, roundabouts and safety rest areas
Infrastructure Measures to Increase Capacity
Highway 40 traffic volumes are forecast to increase over the coming decades as a result of economic resource activity in the region. The study will evaluate the requirements to increase the capacity of the highway corridor to address the potential increase in demand.