The project will deliver safer and more efficient connections between the City of Leduc, the Edmonton International Airport and area businesses. Giving commercial carriers easier access to the growing cargo hub at the airport will help drive economic diversification and investment.
“The QEII corridor is the busiest stretch of highway in Alberta and the Edmonton International Airport is becoming a significant cargo hub. This interchange will give carriers, commuters and consumers a safer and less congested route in a fast-growing region and create hundreds of jobs for Albertans.”
“Securing funding for this much-needed and long anticipated project is not only an acknowledgement of how far the City of Leduc, Leduc County and the EIA have come in economic development, but will be critical to Alberta’s recovery moving forward. The 65 Avenue interchange will ensure our constituency continues growing, creating jobs and making life better for Albertans.”
The project will move ahead with support from Alberta’s government and the City of Leduc. The government has also submitted an expression of interest for potential funding for this project under the Government of Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund.
“This announcement is the culmination of years of support, advocacy and collaboration between the City of Leduc, the Province of Alberta, and our valued regional partners. We are excited to break ground on this pivotal development that will play a vital role in unlocking the full economic potential of the Edmonton metro region.”
“The 65 Avenue interchange will provide many benefits to the region. In addition to expanding our transportation network, the interchange will allow for greater connectivity between three major growth centres: the City of Leduc, the Leduc and Nisku business parks and the Edmonton International Airport. Both EIA and the Nisku Business Park are critical growth hubs in Leduc County, and the interchange will allow for expanded economic development opportunities and job creation for Albertans.”
“This vital interchange comes at a critical time for Alberta, our region and Edmonton International Airport (EIA). Its construction will create new jobs, open land for future development, and enable us to attract even more investment that will be a catalyst for job growth in our surrounding area and indeed our entire region. The investment will improve access to our logistics facilities that support our burgeoning air cargo and e-commerce growth, as well as strengthen emergency services access and streamline passenger traffic flow at EIA.”
Alberta’s Recovery Plan is a bold, ambitious long-term strategy to build, diversify, and create tens of thousands of jobs now. By building schools, roads and other core infrastructure, we are benefiting our communities. By diversifying our economy and attracting investment with Canada’s most competitive tax environment, we are putting Alberta on a path for a generation of growth.
Quick facts
- The QEII and Leduc 65 Avenue interchange project includes:
- a new overpass over the QEII
- new on-off ramps from the QEII
- improvements to some existing ramps
- intersection improvements at 65 Avenue and 50 Street in Leduc
- completion of Perimeter Road and 65 Avenue, west of the QEII
- The project design is anticipated to be completed in 2020.
- Construction could begin in 2021, following the right-of-way acquisition and completion of the land transfer required for the project.
- Construction will take about three years and supports about 471 jobs: 274 direct and 197 indirect.
- A project of this size typically costs about $91 million, which will be cost-shared between the Government of Alberta and the City of Leduc. The Alberta government has also submitted an expression of interest for funding from the Government of Canada under the National Trade Corridors Fund.
- About 55,300 vehicles use this section of the QEII daily, and traffic volumes have grown about two per cent per year. About 12 per cent of commercial vehicles in Alberta use the QEII Highway each day.
- About 10 per cent of vehicle traffic is large industrial or commercial vehicles.
