A $17.5-million wildlife overpass near Lac Des Arcs in the Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8 has officially been dedicated to a former Alberta premier.
Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, was on hand last Friday to announce that it will officially be named the Honourable Peter Lougheed Wildlife Overpass. Dreeshen says “this new wildlife overpass is actually the first of its kind in Alberta – outside of a national park – and it will create a safe passage for wildlife to cross both in and out of Kananaskis Country. Wildlife such as deer, elk, coyotes, and lynx have already been using the crossing before it was officially opened.”
Dreeshen adds, in addition to building this overpass, the government of Alberta has developed the Alberta wildlife watch – a driver safety program aimed at preventing animal-vehicle collisions. He says “now the Alberta wildlife watch identifies collision prone locations along the highway network and mitigates these problems to keep Albertans and wildlife safe. Now, Alberta’s government is committed to our safety on our highways while maintaining and enhancing natural migration patterns and protecting wildlife.”
Dreeshen – who is also the MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake – points out that on this stretch of Trans-Canada highway on average about 60 collisions per year occur and it is estimated the Honourable Peter Lougheed Wildlife Overpass will reduce those collisions by about 80 per cent.
Construction of the overpass began in 2022 and it was completed last fall. It is located about 80 kilometers west of Calgary and approximately 30 kilometers east of Canmore.
