A section of the north-south service road parallel to the Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) Highway on the east side will be permanently closed in April this year, as part of construction for the 40 Avenue highway bridge and interchange.
The service road, where Kingsview Road SE and Range Road 294 connect, is the construction area of the future QEII Highway overpass and northbound off-ramp.
Construction in the area is scheduled to start on April 15, according to Adam Carroll, the project manager for the civil infrastructure group at the City of Airdrie’s capital projects office, overseeing the 40 Avenue initiative.
“There will be no connection there – the property south of Sharp Hill Way is privately owned by a developer and it’s up to him or her whenever they develop the area to continue that road way,” said Carroll.
This means the service road south of the interchange and Kingsview Road SE north of the interchange will become dead-ends as soon as construction starts in April.
The intention is to complete work on the 40 Avenue project in October 2023.
While businesses along Kingsview Road SE will remain open, Carroll noted their customers will have to access them via the north side of Kingsview Road.
The City plans to post signage on the south side of Kingsview Road with the same messaging, according to a notice sent by the City to nearby businesses.
“The City’s intention is to create and maintain a road network that is conducive to users, both residential and business,” stated a representative from the Capital Projects Office. “The City is planning to extend Kingsview Boulevard into the adjacent southerly lands and connect to Range Road 294, south of the interchange footprint. The timing for construction of these roadways is based on the aspirations of the developer (landowner).”
When the developer assigns resources to the development of the property, the City will work collaboratively to ensure a cohesive road network is included in the plan.
The interchange is meant to improve access into and out of southern communities in Airdrie and improve traffic flow along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway and Yankee Valley Boulevard.
According to the City, the new interchange will benefit future development of about 7,500 acres of land, which will yield about 36,000 residential units, 2,100 acres of industrial, and 400 acres of commercial development over a 30-year period.
Visit Airdrie.ca/interchange for construction details and to subscribe to their mailing list for project updates.
