Push is on to twin Highway 63 near Fort McMurray

By Carol Christian, Journal of Commerce

Fibre optic lines, stringent environmental standards and aggressive motorist behaviour are three challenges facing crews currently working on five twinning-related projects on Highway 63 in Northern Alberta.

Work on this 240-kilometre primary route linking the Athabasca oilsands to the rest of the province rings in at about $1 billion.

Now that winter has given way to warmer temperatures, drivers will see ramped up construction activity, as 250 pieces of equipment and more than 400 workers take to the road to complete tree clearing, grading, bridge construction, paving and utility moves.

This year will see almost 60 kilometres of grading completed on Highway 63 at a cost of $93 million.

New tenders will be issued in the coming months in preparation for another 60 kilometres of twinning, including grading, paving and bridge construction to be completed by 2015.

All work is expected to be completed to meet the accelerated fall 2016 twinning schedule.

Continue reading on Journal of Commerce