The Town of Cochrane sent out a request for proposals last week for Highway 22 and Ranche Road intersection improvements and is looking to award the contract by mid-August.
Wally Hume, roads manager with the town, said that by the end of October, construction should be complete — where a large concrete meridian complete with signage would prevent left-hand turns to enter the intersection.
“Alberta Transportation requested that we close that intersection completely off, based on traffic congestion and safety concerns,” explained Hume.
He added that the town negotiated with the province in order to arrive at the current solution — where right-hand turns into and out of the intersection would be permitted, while left-hand turns into and out of the intersection would not be possible following construction.
Hume said the grade of the road, the number of heavy trucks travelling along Highway 22, increasing traffic and limited sight distance were all factors prompting the change.
The dialogue between Alberta Transportation and the town began as far back as 2005, following a “functional planning study” that determined once that portion of Highway 22 reached a certain volume, changes would need to be implemented.
Urban Systems, private consultants hired by the town, were tasked with drafting a solution in 2012 and the green light was given in 2013.
Hume said there would also be realignment of the section of Ranche Road that runs from the RancheHouse entrance toward Sunset.
Those travelling south along Highway 22 would only be able to turn left into the subdivision at the lights located at Sunset Boulevard and Highway 22; this would be the only exit point for those leaving the community to travel south, as well. Hume said as Sunset continues to develop, other access points would open into the community further north along Highway 22.
