Options being narrowed down for Crowsnest Pass truck route
CROWSNEST PASS, AB — There’s no timeline, and no funding for construction. But the planning for the eventual twinning of Highway 3 through the Crowsnest Pass continues.
An open house was held in November for the functional planning study of twinning Highway 3 between Sentinel and Pincher Creek. One of the major components – and most complicated – is through Coleman, where the plan is to build a separate truck route, designated Highway 3X.
The number of possible routes for 3X has been narrowed down, with options north of Coleman now ruled out. There are multiple options as well for interchanges at either end of the truck route.
“The factors we have to take into account are, of course, the terrain, the climate, the environmental issues, long-term sustainability, as well as input from stakeholders, regulators, as well as the public,” explained Firoz Kara, infrastructure engineer with Alberta Transportation. “So, what we have to do is figure out the routing, what the footprint is going to look like, access locations, and design standards.”