| COMMUNITY: Fort McMurray to get 40,000 new homes and a five-lane bridge |
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(AlbertaIndex, June 27, Friday) --- Relief is on the way for infrastructure-challenged Fort McMurray following the Alberta government’s decision to approve the construction of new homes and facilities for 40,000 people, and a $127-million five-lane bridge. The homes to be built in two new communities will become available from 2010, while the bridge across the Athabasca River will open to traffic in 2011. Residents and workers have long complained of worsening housing and infrastructure constraints in the booming oil town. Once completed, the communities will house 40,000 people in thousands of new homes on 4,000 acres of land. The communities will be complemented by schools, health clinics, recreational facilities, parks and other community services. “This is a world-scale project that will benefit from the continued cooperation and participation of many stakeholders,” said Treasury Board President Lloyd Snelgrove. “A project of this magnitude is a significant undertaking with the end result creating neighbourhoods where people will have homes to raise their families and opportunities to contribute to their community and the province.” The government is issuing a request for expression of interest for a public-private partnership as an innovative approach to provide a “master planned” community for Saline Creek Plateau. The government said it is seeking solutions that will generate reasonably priced, serviced lots for residential and commercial use and address the needs for essential community services as quickly and efficiently as possible. It will also look for community designs that are environmentally friendly with respect to land and water and energy use. One of the key initiatives for the Parsons Creek development is the creation of a community development board. The board will represent the government of Alberta, the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo and various local stakeholders in managing construction in Parsons Creek. “Developing this land is the first step in creating new communities that Albertans can call home, and where they can raise their families,” said Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Yvonne Fritz. “I especially look forward to the affordable housing that will be built here, and all of the services and amenities that will form part of a vibrant Fort McMurray.” Construction starts on new bridge The Alberta government also announced that construction has begun on the bridge across the Athabasca River. “There are more than $600 million worth of transportation projects underway or starting this year on Highway 63,” said Luke Ouellette, Minister of Transportation. “The province is committed to building the transportation infrastructure needed to support growth in Alberta’s oil sands and this new five-lane bridge will significantly improve traffic flow across the Athabasca River.” The project includes construction of the new northbound Highway 63 bridge over the Athabasca River and the first stage construction of the new overpass structure over Franklin Avenue. Traffic disruptions during construction of the bridge will be limited. The bridge measures 33 metres wide and 472 metres long, with a deck area of 15,576 square metres, making it the largest provincial bridge deck. There will be three lanes for northbound Highway 63 traffic and two lanes for the northbound traffic from Franklin Avenue. The bridge will include a 4.2-metre wide sidewalk and major utility lines. It has been designed to carry up to a 6.4-metre wide, 1.1 million-kilogram overload vehicle, which is 12.5 times the usual designs. Did you enjoy this article? Please share it!         |
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