Alberta partners with Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation to complete Highway 43 twinning

January 15, 2013

Valleyview… By the fall of 2014, motorists travelling Highway 43 will be able to drive 432 kilometres on a completely twinned, divided road from Grande Prairie to the junction with Highway 16 west of Edmonton. This will be possible as a result of a $78 million contract signed on January 15 between the Government of Alberta and Petrowest Construction LP.

This contract is part of a partnership arrangement between the Alberta government and the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation for the construction of new highway lanes, two pedestrian underpasses, and bridges and culverts over Goose Creek and Pelican Creek through the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, west of Valleyview. Construction is expected to start in February. Petrowest Construction LP was chosen by the Sturgeon Lake Council to be their partner and contractor on this project.

“When completed, northwest Alberta will have a fully twinned, safe and efficient roadway to move people and goods, a project that was started in the 1990s,” said Ric McIver, Minister of Transportation. “Partnering with the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Petrowest Construction LP on this project provides good value for the money, builds economic opportunities for First Nation members during and after construction, and delivers on a promise to residents of northwestern Alberta to complete this twinning work.”

The new 20-kilometre, four-lane stretch will open to traffic by the fall of 2014 and completes twinning of the CANAMEX Trade Corridor between Grande Prairie and the Alberta-Montana border at Coutts. Visit www.transportation.alberta.ca/710.htm for more information on the CANAMEX Trade Corridor.

“We want to thank transportation ministers and regional directors, past and present and Premier Alison Redford for providing us this enormous opportunity to complete this project,” said Richard Kappo, Chief of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. “It’s been a long time coming and we look forward to starting and completing the project.”

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Media inquiries may be directed to:
Jeanna Friedley
Communications
Alberta Transportation
780-422-7070
Jeanna.Friedley@gov.ab.ca

To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

NT5