The twinning of Highway 63 through Boyle was addressed once more at the final public consultation last week.
CastleGlenn Consultants made their recommendation for twinning 30 km of Highway 63 between Township Road 642 to the south of Boyle and Highway 55 to the north.
Three twinning options were discussed at an open house in November of last year, each of them incorporating a short-term ìinterimî expressway stage (10-20 years of development) and a long-term ìultimateî stage (20-40 years). The latter stage would develop the highway into a freeway, with varying costs depending on the overall freeway design options and their construction requirements.
Speaking at the meeting at the Boyle Community Centre last Wednesday, CastleGlenn principal Arthur Gordon recommended the third option, which would cost $182.1 million for the interim expressway stage ($106 million) and long-term freeway stage ($76 million) combined. The highway interchange would be placed north of the village in this option, and two railway crossings would be required.
While Gordon stressed that it was not a final decision and that discussions among the Village of Boyle and Athabasca County councils will further discuss the viability, the third option was chosen partly on the basis of feedback from three focus groups held Oct. 22-27.
The feedback preferred the option in both short and long-term solutions.
The chosen option would be $22 million less than option one and $90 million less than option two. Gordon explained option three also avoids conflicts with major pipeline corridors and provides greater connectivity between Highway 63, Highway 663 and Highway 831. He also claimed it ìimpacts the least number of properties and existing dwellings.î
From 27 comment sheets that were collected, 80 per cent preferred options one and three for the short-term Highway 63 alignment, and 63 per cent preferred option three for the long-term alignment.
Gordon concluded that ìoption three represents the recommended alignment for the Highway 63 corridor through Boyleî because it ìhas major community support (and) integrates with current development initiatives within the Village of Boyle and maximizes the economic benefit to the community.î
Whichever alignment is chosen, local businesses would have to be relocated along Market Road. This would cost $2.2 million in the case of option one, $3.3 million in two and $1 million in three.
There were approximately 60 attendees at the meeting, down from 100 that turned out for the last one. Aside from interested residents, village councillors and representatives of Alberta Transportation were also on hand.
Bob Rebus, infrastructure engineer for Alberta Transportation, said the two councils would need to come to a unanimous consent on the best twinning option with which to move forward.
Village of Boyle CAO Charlie Ashbey said that CastleGlenn will be meeting with the Village and County councils ìsometime after mid-February.î
Not all attendees were enthused by CastleGlennís decision. Al Nikipelo, a third-generation farmer who lives near the Highway 663 turnoff, called Gordonís presentation a ìsales pitchî that is ìdirected at investors, not the people of the area.î
ìThe taxpayers of the county, the residents being affected, have no say or arenít looked at with value by the investor,î he said.
Joe Rosich, a farmer planting the 76th crop this year on his family farm, attended the meeting driven by the knowledge that ìmy house gets paved over in every scenario that is presented here.î Rosich expressed his concern for the current plan and proposed his own, handing out aerial diagrams of his option, and receiving a round of applause.
Instead of keeping with the traditional S-curve of Highway 63 that cuts through various private farm lots, Rosichís proposal takes a parabolic curve at a 45-degree angle northeast around Boyle, before reconnecting to the existing highway to the north. Rosich claims his idea would keep the number of privately owned properties to a bare minimum, while saving millions of dollars in construction costs.
Both Gordon and Rebus separately promised the route will be seriously considered, although they conceded there are still some deficiencies in the design.
Nikipelo pointed to the map of the study area and showed how the CastleGlenn-recommended third option would run straight through his property.
ìItíll take my house right out, and still be an ugly looking highway for the people that need to drive to (Fort) McMurray,î said Nikipelo, pointing to his land in the middle of the Highway 63 curve at the Colinton turnoff.
Gordon insisted in his presentation that it will not be a ìbig brotherî decision, and noted it is up to the public to decide and practice their right to democratic engagement with their respective councils.
But nothing said could settle the discontent of some landowners who have made the area along the Highway 63 corridor their home for generations.
ìTheyíre going to spend millions of dollars to make curves and slow people down. The intent of (Rosichís plan) is to make it safer, (provide) freeflow, and Boyle will still be very, very close to our corridor. Boyleís not going anywhere,î said Nikipelo.
Gordon noted that any scenario will result in someone being displeased, although the ultimate goal is to minimize any adverse effects caused by twinning Highway 63.
Ashbey was also resigned to the fact that not everybody will be happy with the decision that is made.
ìThere are winners and losers no matter where you put the route,î he said. ìOne thing seems clear ñ the village would be ill-served if bypassed.î
Gordon described the meeting as a ìcomprehensive public involvement processî that is key to determining the most economically viable option for Athabasca County and the Village of Boyle.
ìUltimately, all of the public information is used to build a case for the selection of the recommended solution, whatever that would be,î said Gordon.
