Grant MacEwan Boulevard Widening

Al-Terra completed preliminary and detailed design, tender preparation, contract administration, and construction management for the widening of Grant MacEwan Boulevard. A proposed upgrade for the boulevard from its existing two-lane cross-section to a four-lane arterial roadway was intended. The project included a storm sewer system review and upgrade, grading, road widening, roadway rehabilitation, pedestrian linkage, streetlighting, landscaping, and installation of a 10-foot-tall noise attenuation fence.

This was a challenging corridor given the traffic volumes and the two intersecting roadways, 50 Avenue and Black Gold Drive. 50 Avenue experiences high volumes and is the direct connection to the QEII, whereas Black Gold Drive is the primary east-west artery for traffic to Leduc. Traffic accommodation and staging during construction was key to the success of the project. Al-Terra worked closely with the Contractor to review construction restrictions and traffic accommodation strategies which protected the safety of the travelling public while also providing adequate working space for construction. The project also included a staging strategy to ensure a smooth transition at the south project limit from four lanes back to two lanes with minimal “throw away” costs.

A Telus line existed with a ~0.3 m bury depth below existing ground, located within the road widening portion of the project. Al-Terra was able to coordinate with the shallow utility company in a prompt manner and determine a solution to avoid any delays. We coordinated with Fortis for new primary power, streetlighting design and installation for the corridor. Al-Terra’s landscape design team were retained to provide services for this project.