Watch above: It may cause some traffic tie-ups and headaches now, but it’s the promise of what’s to come when the northeast leg of the Anthony Henday is complete. Vinesh Pratap has an update.
EDMONTON – It’s one of the most heavily used roadways in Edmonton, carrying tens of thousands of motorists to and from their destinations on a daily basis. Now there’s good news from Alberta Transportation when it comes to construction on the northeast leg of Anthony Henday Drive.
“I’d say more than half of all the construction is completed for bridges, roads, so we’re doing well,” said Bill van der Meer, project manager with Alberta Transportation.
“We’re on schedule for completing by October 2016.”
While snow fell over the Capital Region Monday, the warmer than usual fall has really helped construction crews, who have been working around the clock on the project.
“Just getting those two or three weeks, maybe extra weeks if you want, is helping the schedule,” said van der Meer.
“There’s about 1,000 people working on this 24/7, two shifts, 12-hour shifts,” he said. “They’ve been doing that basically for most of the summer into the fall and that’ll continue for another two or three weeks until the weather basically shuts it in.”
WATCH: Bird’s-eye view of construction along northeast leg of Anthony Henday Drive
Over the winter, work will slow down and crews on site will be cut in half. The focus will be on bridge work; van der Meer says 22 of the 47 bridges are complete.
“It’s pedal to the metal right to October 2016.”
The ring road is expected to open on Oct. 1, 2016. The $1.8 billion project is the largest single contract to date for Alberta Transportation.