The province is putting the brakes on plans to close a trio of median crossings on Highway 2 near Okotoks this summer.
Darren Davidson, a regional director with Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors, gave the news at a Foothills County council meeting on June 21.
“The highway median closures are deferred for the foreseeable future,” Davidson said, adding that no upgrades are planned at the intersections.
The intersections that would have been closed on Highway 2 included 306 Avenue, 338 Avenue and 370 Avenue.
Foothills County Reeve Delilah Miller confirmed the median closures would not be going ahead as planned.
“That's all the information he really gave us,” Miller said.
She said council wanted to see some changes made to the at-grade highway crossings and is disappointed the Province hasn't followed through or at least closed two of the three medians.
“We seem to be having an accident at either one of those intersections once a week,” she said. “It's a serious situation.”
The closures were planned to take place ahead of interchange construction at 338 Avenue, and Miller said it sounds like construction of the overpass has been moved up.
“Instead of seven years on the horizon, it's more like five,” she said. “They're hoping to get this overpass pushed through a lot faster than what was originally planned.”
Okotoks Mayor Tanya Thorn said it's a difficult situation.
"From my perspective, those medians need to be closed from a safety perspective," Thorn said. "But the closure of those medians needs to be balanced with the opening of a 338 (Avenue) overpass."
She said the 338 Avenue intersection is a significant corridor and a primary access into Okotoks, and closing it would put pressure on the nearby Aldersyde and Highway 552 interchanges on Highway 2.
Residents on the east side of Highway 2 pushed back when the median closures were announced, saying the closures would negatively affect travel to and from homes and businesses on that side of the highway.
Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors was asked for an update on the median situation and the status of the overpass but did not immediately respond.
"It sounds like they're looking at it again," Miller said.
