Over 125 local residents offered their input last week on the planned future twinning of Highway 11 east of Rocky Mountain House.

The Town of Rocky Mountain House held an open house on Thursday, June 23, to gather public feedback on the project.

Officials say the project would twin Highway 11 (David Thompson Highway) between Rocky Mountain House and Sylvan Lake.

A representative for Alberta Transportation said, “The open house went very well in Rocky Mountain House. We showcased the four options for the section between Highway 22 and just east of Benalto.”

The four options for the twinning project include:

Project A:

The project includes Highway 11 twinning from the southern boundary of the town of Rocky Mountain House to 1 km east of Highway 22. Aecom was the successful consultant for this project. Preliminary design began in early 2022. Right of way purchase, utility coordination and any required environmental studies will start in summer 2022. The tender is anticipated to be awarded in fall 2023 with construction starting in 2024.

Project B:

This project will include Highway 11 twinning from Highway 22 to Township Road 390. In 2021, CIMA+ began with a functional planning study which is expected to take approximately two years to complete.

Project C:

This project includes Highway 11 twinning from 1 km west of Township Road 390 near the Hamlet of Benalto to 2 km west of Highway 781 (to tie in with Project D). WSP was the successful consultant. Preliminary design began in early 2022. The project will include intersection improvements and reductions in access points where possible. Any additional land acquisition, utility coordination and required environmental studies will be addressed in 2022. Design is underway and anticipated to be complete by the end of 2022. The tender is anticipated in the winter of 2022-23 with construction in 2023.

Project D:

This project includes Highway 11 twinning from 2 km west of Highway 781 to 1 km east of Highway 20. Additional improvements will include a two-lane roundabout at the intersections of Highway 11 and Highway 781 (50 Street) and at Highway 11 and Range Road 15 (60 Street). McElhanney Ltd. was the successful consultant. The project was tendered in spring 2022 and Central City Asphalt Ltd was the successful contractor. Work has now started; completion is anticipated by late 2022.

Alberta Transportation said, they are now going back to review the options and do an analysis of what would work out. Officials hope to have all information ready for early fall to release to the public.