Residents will have the chance to learn more about plans for a future interchange at Queen Elizabeth II Highway and Township Road 264 during an open house scheduled June 14 at Genesis Place Recreation Centre.
“There has been a proposed interchange identified for a number of years. The actual steps that are being taken right now by the Province is to do a functional design that will look at what are the various alignment options, what are the lands you’d have to set aside,” said Lorne Stevens, director of Community Infrastructure with the City of Airdrie. “It would establish some parameters for the overall interchange layout for the future.”
The open house is the first in a series of discussions scheduled surrounding the new interchange. Representatives from the Province, the City of Airdrie and Rocky View County (RVC) will be present to introduce the study, outline objectives and present initial findings.
“We are very encouraged by (the process beginning) given how quickly growth and development is occurring within Airdrie and Rocky View County and Balzac,” Stevens said. “We’re really encouraged the Province is taking that step.”
As Township Road 264 is located on a shared boundary between Airdrie and RVC, intermunicipal co-operation will be required throughout the planning process, according to Stevens.
Stevens said although he saw “huge value” in the new interchange moving forward, he stressed a continued need for funding for other transportation projects.
“There are some upgrades and enhancements (such as the Yankee Valley Boulevard off-ramp at Queen Elizabeth II Highway) that will be, from our perspective, welcome construction dollars,” he said. “But it’s a short-term fix. There is going to need to be some longer-term solutions.
“It needs to be part, factored in, to the overall context of construction.”
The open house will run from 4 until 8 p.m. in the Rotary Room at Genesis Place.
