Highway 2 – North and South Innisfail Interchanges

This complex project started as an Access Management Functional Planning Study for Highway 2 between Bowden and Innisfail. The objective of the Study was to develop an access management plan that would allow closure of twenty (20) at-grade accesses on Highway 2. The functional plans included the South Innisfail Interchanges and approximately 20 km of rear service roads. The approach involved upgrading of existing local roads in Red Deer County, rather than adding new frontage roads to the network.

The Functional Planning Study was expanded to include modification of the North Innisfail Interchange (conversion to a diamond) and median widening of Highway 2. An economic analysis concluded that grading for the six lane stage of Highway 2 during median widening would be cost effective. Al-Terra and ISL Engineering Ltd. were subsequently successful in a joint venture to provide design and construction engineering services for this $45M project. The final components (North Innisfail modifications) were completed in 2008.

Highway 2 in the Innisfail area was one of Al-Terra’s main areas of focus for provincial transportation work from 1997 through 2008. Over multiple contracts (either independent or through a relationship with ISL), Al-Terra completed a variety of tasks:

• Access management between Bowden and Innisfail.
• Functional planning for the new South Innisfail Interchange.
• Functional planning for the existing North Innisfail Interchange.
• Design and construction contract management for 20 km of local service roads to connect to the new South Innisfail Interchange.
• Design and construction management for Highway 2 median widening and six-lane grading from north of Bowden to north of Innisfail.
• Design and construction management of the new south Innisfail Interchange and retrofit of the existing North Innisfail Interchange.
• Environmental, utility, and rail coordination, including design for stormwater management facility and wetland replacement.
• Public consultation process during planning exercises as well as ongoing communications with municipalities and adjacent landowners throughout the course of the project.
• Communications plan and coordination with related stakeholders, such as the Bowden Institution and the RCMP Dog Training Facility.