The Alberta Government has no plans of extending Airdrie's new 40th avenue overpass across Highway 2 or building any other new interchange in the city.

Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown met with the Associate Deputy Minister of Transportation, talking about the city's traffic concerns, noting that Airdrie is not atop the priority list.

"Everything revolves around what happens in the next few weeks in the Legislature as it relates to the budget but we were told with certainty that there would be no overpass at 40th avenue in the near future."

While a third overpass is off the table at this time, the Mayor did say that the government is open to installing an on-ramp to the QE2 at the end of 40th avenue, and possibly improving northbound portions of the highway entering Airdrie.

"In the short term there was no commitment for any overpasses within our city boundaries," added Brown. "They were looking specifically at the Balzac interchange as their number one priority in this area."

Full interchange upgrades are expected to help traffic flow in and out of CrossIron Mills Mall but also alleviate some stresses on Yankee Valley Blvd.

The city already has plans to widen 8th street to four lanes heading south past Hillcrest while also beginning work on the new 40th avenue overpass over the train tracks.

"Once that comes around it will loop into Main Street and down," said Brown. "Vesta Properties - they'll be doing the adjoining road from Main Street up to where the overpass is."

At this time there is no talks of a pedestrian crossing over the train tracks as the road is already being built over the tracks.

Despite the Federal Government's announcement that $120 billion would be invested in infrastructure over the next 10 years, Brown said he's not convinced that funding will end up in Airdrie or help fund another overpass across the highway, which pales under provincial jurisdiction.

"We have close to 350 municipalities across the province so where you prioritize, I'm not sure, but I think until we see what that money would consist of, where it would go, and if Airdrie is even included in the provincial support - I'm not sure."

Mayor Seeks Answers from Transportation Minister