The intersection has seen a three-hundred percent increase in traffic volume over the past few years. 

The intersection just west of Balzac at Highway 566 and Range Road 11 will be getting a makeover in the form of a traffic circle or 'roundabout' as some may call it.

Both Rocky View County and Alberta Transportation have agreed to a cost-sharing plan to help improve the current traffic situation in that area. Rocky View County council has approved $900,000 to help fund the project and Alberta Transportation will cover $2.7 million, or 75 percent of the cost of the project.

Rocky View County Reeve Greg Boehlke talks about the function of the four-way stop that was installed in January 2018. 

"The four-way stop was a stop-gap measure but it didn't solve the issue of traffic backup and hopefully this roundabout certainly will."

 The county would not have been able to move forward with the project had it not received the support from the province.

"We're thankful the government saw fit to do this but now we're coming into an election and we're hoping that no matter which way the election goes that this project stays on the books and is moving ahead," said Boehlke.  "We're hoping that it gets started here this spring and completion hopefully within this year."

Two-thirds of the county's funding will come from a general reserve fund, with the remaining amount coming from Transportation Off-Site Levies. Said levies are collected on new development to help fund improvements and upgrades to regional road infrastructure, in order to offset the impacts of development in and around the county.

Now that funding is in place, scheduling for the project can begin and early estimates are calling for completion of the traffic circle by fall of 2020.

Boehlke explains the importance of this traffic circle for the area.

"We'll have faster-flowing traffic, far less frustration, and- most importantly- a much safer intersection."

 

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