Athabasca County wants to meet with Alberta Transportation to discuss their local projects, including the truck bypass around the Town of Athabasca and the new bridge crossing of the Athabasca River.
In a letter to Alberta Transportation, county manager Gary Buchanan explains countyís concern that the two projects are not being coordinated with each other, despite their ìclear correlationî.
In the letter, Buchanan requests that Alberta Transportation set up a meeting with the Town and the County at which the two projects can be discussed.
The truck bypass around Athabasca will have to address crossing the Athabasca River at some point to allow traffic to access Wabasca and Calling Lake.
The two projects and their respective consulting firms are not sharing information, according to county councillor Doris Splane.
ìI asked outright, and was told no,î she said.
County councillor Mike Demko stated he was unsure of how Alberta Transportationís interchange project being built currently within the Town of Athabasca relates to the other projects.
ìWhy are they doing all this downtown if they are going to build a bridge west of town?î he asked during a recent county meeting. ìI drive through town everyday and the interchange that they are building, it only makes sense with the (current) bridge. If the old one is coming out, why are they spending millions doing what theyíre doing? If they are going to move the bridge elsewhere, it doesnít make sense.î
Councillor Larry Armfelt said he is unsure about the wisdom of keeping the bridge in its current location.
ìIt doesnít stop the traffic from going downtown,î he said.
After the countyís letter was discussed at an Athabasca town council meeting, councillor Lionel Cherniwchan discussed their concerns.
ìI think the county is taking the ball because any bypass around the town will be going through county property,î he stated. ìI guess they are concerned.î
Cherniwchan stated that at the last bridge alignment meeting, Alberta Transportation was inclined to keep the bridge essentially where it is.
Councillor Paula Evans stated she thought the letter the county wrote was accurate in saying the two projects should be working together.
ìIt should look at the big picture. I would like to see all the people in the room talking.î
Splane said asking for a meeting was the countyís way of giving feedback.
ìI had been to the open house, and they asked for comments, and in talking with council we decided this was a way of making a comment,î she said.
