Project Information

Highway 3X Project Background

Highway 3X is a complex, multi-year project that will provide a newly constructed secondary route option for travel between Sentinel and Blairmore for large trucks and vehicles carrying hazardous materials.

The project, which is currently under design, encompasses approximately 11km of new highway through complex terrain; and will include new interchanges, wildlife crossings, and several new bridge structures. At this time, Construction has not been funded. However, cost estimating data provided during the preliminary and detailed design phases will be reviewed by the Government of Alberta when planning and budgeting for Construction. Once the budget and funding have been confirmed, tendering and construction timelines will be developed and shared with the Public.

Project Phases and Funding

The Highway 3X project is in the early stages of design, and the design scope includes three distinct phases of work:

1. Functional Planning Study Update

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The 2019 Functional Planning Study will be reviewed and updated to ensure this foundational document is up to date and relevant for 2025 and beyond.

2. Preliminary Design / Engineering

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Team members across different disciplines work collaboratively to gather data and analyze site conditions to develop a high-level concept / design for the project.

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High-level design work will be undertaken to identify key project details such as the new highway alignment / location, new interchanges / intersections and their locations, new bridge structures and their locations, etc.

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Cost estimating will be completed based on the details of the preliminary design.

3. Detailed Design

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After review and approval of the preliminary design, detailed design begins on the individual components identified in the high-level preliminary design.

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A second round of cost estimating will be completed based on the detailed design specifications.

Project Timelines*

Date	Event
May 2024	Highway 3X project awarded, planning and design begins
Fall 2024 – Fall 2025	Topographic survey, environmental assessments, geotechnical investigations, review and assessment of historical resources, and other background field studies
Spring 2025	Functional Planning Study Update to be completed
Spring 2025 – Winter 2026/27	Preliminary Design Phase
Winter 2026/27 – Spring 2028	Detailed Design Phase

*The project timelines above are estimates and are subject to change.