MD OF BIGHORN – Reeve Lisa Rosvold is “not very happy” to see costs associated with design changes made by the province to the proposed Harvie Heights interchange fall on the MD of Bighorn.
Approved budget to complete the Harvie Heights interchange realignment project alongside $400,000 to overlay parts of Harvie Heights Road is $1.29 million, but the lowest tender the MD received for the work was for $1.399 million.
This comes after Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors approved engineering designs for an all-way stop at the Trans-Canada Highway-Harvie Heights Road intersection, which was originally conceptualized as a two-way stop.
“It’s a bit frustrating because I didn’t know that’s what was coming here today,” said Rosvold at Bighorn’s June 11 council meeting. “It’s changes to this interchange that have been brought to us by the province that is causing this interchange to cost us way more money and now not provide safer roads to our residents in Harvie Heights quicker.”
Bighorn administration proposed deferring Harvie Heights Road overlay work to 2025 so the budget could be utilized to cover most of the shortfall, which also includes $191,000 in anticipated engineering and utility realignments. The interchange project budget with the overlay removed is $1.155 million.
Rosvold said she believes additional costs for the interchange should not come at the expense of leaving Harvie Heights Road in a state of disrepair. The MD’s director of engineering and infrastructure services acknowledged the road is in “rough shape.”
“That’s what we’re deferring is fixing that road that’s been in need of repair for a very long time,” said Rosvold. “So, I’m not very happy about this.”
The two projects were tendered together, with intent to complete them at the same time and construction beginning this summer.
The reeve said she would prefer to see the overlay occur at the same time as the interchange, as discussed, for safety and efficiency reasons, as well as potential cost-savings with mobilization.
“The honest answer is, I think, it’s just easier and simpler to defer the overlay,” said Luka. “We do [overlay work] each year and have mobilization costs regardless of what areas we go into.”
Luka also recommended against re-tendering the interchange project as it would delay construction of the intersection, which is locally known as “the birdcage” and has been flagged by Alberta Transportation as a safety concern since 2005.
Upgrading the intersection is also required by the province before the MD can approve any further roadside commercial developments along Harvie Heights Road, which is designated as a highway commercial district.
Luka called it a joint project that benefits both parties but also said there has been much discussion around where the MD’s and Alberta Transportation’s jurisdictions end and begin.
Harvie Heights Road is a municipal road and the province also sees the south leg of the new proposed interchange – the Trans-Canada Highway off-ramp – as municipal jurisdiction.
Coun. Alice James said she struggles with that.
“I think I have the biggest challenge with acknowledging that an off-ramp is in our jurisdiction to do and to take care of because there’s a lot more function to an off-ramp than simply accessing the amenities that are available off that off-ramp,” she noted.
The interchange project is being funded by the MD with approved provincial funding. The improvements will also accommodate additional development within the highway commercial area and developers in that area will be required to pay a developer contribution.
Bighorn CAO Shaina Tutt suggested if council wishes, the excess $400,000 to overlay Harvie Heights Road could potentially be funded through reserves.
“Then we would have a bigger discussion about if we were going to defer any 2025 projects and we can draw that $400,000 early out of the transportation reserve,” she said.
Council voted in favour of proceeding with the interchange project, as proposed, and the discussion to fund Harvie Heights road repair will go to the MD’s governance and priorities committee meeting June 25.
The interchange project is expected to be completed, or close to completion, this fall.
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. The position covers Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation and Kananaskis Country.
