July 23, 2012

Construction speeds up along Highway 63 in Alberta

EDMONTON

The Alberta government is speeding up three construction projects along dangerous Highway 63.

Tenders are going out for two new passing lanes and extensions to six existing lanes added between House River and the junction with Highway 881, with completion expected by next summer.

The other projects include grading for the next section of highway twinning and several kilometres of tree clearing.

Alberta Transportation spokesman Parker Hogan says the projects were already on the books.

But he says a recent concern over the highway, and a recent report detailing ways to make the highway safer, helped push the work ahead by one year.

Premier Alison Redford has yet to announce what recommendations from the report the government plans to adopt.

The report suggested speeders should face higher fines and have their vehicles towed away on the spot.

Redford asked for the report following public demands and protests for the government to fast-track twinning of the road dubbed the “Highway of Death.’’

The primary stretch of road linking Edmonton to Fort McMurray has seen hundreds of crashes and many deaths.

In April, two children and a pregnant woman were among seven people killed in a fiery head-on collision.

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc., 2012

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