$1.00 INCL GST
Ground Control
About 1,000 feet above ground one can see the massive Deerfoot Trail extension beginning to take form. The project is expected to be completed by next fall. For more photos see page 4 of this week's printed edition.
- photo byCindy Ballance
Deerfoot Trail project to be finished by next fall
By Cindy BallanceEditor
Massive earthmovers dig into the ground creating what may seem like a monstrous mess of rock, dirt and mud, but looking down from more than 1,000 feet above ground the Deerfoot Trail extension project is starting to take shape.
The snake-like road joined by a massive bridge and intricate interchanges is quickly transforming into the four-lane divided highway linking Calgary south to much of the Foothills.
And surprisingly the entire project is expected to be completed by the fall of next year.
According to Fred Lee, construction engineer with Alberta Transportation, crews are moving along quickly from Highway 22X north to the bank of the Bow River.
There are currently three contracts under way for the project from the Bow River to the Okotoks interchange.
There are crews working immediately north of the Okotoks interchange. Bridge construction is currently under way at the Dunbow Road interchange and grading is being done from Dunbow Road to the south bank of the Bow River.
Grading is also being done along the north bank of the Bow River and bridge construction is under way at Highway 22X.
'When we are finished it will be a four-lane divided highway with interchanges at Highway 22X and 196th Avenue, where the future proposed hospital site is and two bridge crossings at Bow River in each direction and a full diamond interchange at Dunbow Road,' said Lee.
He added that there will be modifications to the existing Okotoks interchange.
'We also hope to having twinning on Highway 2A finished to Okotoks as well,' said Lee.
'General (construction) is progressing well,' he added. 'It is a very tight and ambitious schedule we have and, at the moment, we are still confident that we will be on that schedule. We need the cooperation from the weather.'
Lee added that all the issues with neighboring landowners have been finalized, however, there are still some details to be worked out with landowners on the north side of the Bow River.
|
In this issue... |
||
|
Opinion  Students celebrate end of school year See Special Section in this week's printed edition |
||
|
|
||
Long-weekend accidents claim five lives
By Gillian Beckett and Cindy BallanceA horrific crash on Monday afternoon on Highway 2A north of Okotoks has left four Calgary women dead and charges pending against an 18-year-old driver.
At approximately 3 pm on July 2, Okotoks RCMP, Okotoks fire department and Foothills EMS responded to the scene of a three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Highway 2A and 322nd Avenue.
According to Okotoks RCMP Cst. Bruce Ferguson, a half-ton pick-up truck was travelling northbound on Highway 2A and had stopped at the intersection to turn west on 322nd Avenue.
Ferguson explained that as the driver of the truck stopped, a mini-van, driven by an 18-year-old female, failed to stop and collided with the rear of the truck. The collision sent the mini-van into the southbound lane on Highway 2A which caused a head-on collision with a southbound car carrying the four women.
Three women, including the driver of the car and two passengers, were pronounced deceased at the scene and a fourth passenger was airlifted via STARS air ambulance to the Foothills Hospital in Calgary where she later succumbed to her injuries. Ferguson said that the women were elderly.
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old driver of the mini-van as well as her father and mother, who were passengers, sustained minor injuries.
'The air bags (in the mini-van) deployed on impact,' explained Ferguson. 'The only injuries sustained in the accident was the father had a broken finger.'
He noted that Foothills Victim Services were contacted to assist the family in the mini-van who are from Saskatchewan.
The accident remains under investigation.
Okotoks woman killed in collision
A 77-year-old Okotoks woman was killed in a collision at the intersection of Highway 2A and 7 on Canada Day.
Okotoks RCMP responded to the accident at the intersection at about noon on July 1.
According to a press release, a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu was travelling southbound on Highway 2A and a GMC motorhome was westbound on Highway 7 when the Malibu failed to properly stop at the stop sign and was struck.
The woman, whose name has not been released until next of kin are notified, died on impact. She was the lone occupant of the Malibu.
Two occupants of the motorhome, aged 84 and 75, were taken to High River Hospital with minor injuries. The 55-year-old driver was not injured. All occupants of the motorhome are from Bentley, Alberta.
The press release stated there will be no charges laid in the accident.
