A significant number of residents in southeast Alberta are in favor of the expansion of a busy highway they consider perilous, although some remain skeptical about the specifics of the project.
The initiative to widen Highway 3 near Medicine Hat is poised to kick off next year following years of advocacy efforts.
Prior to commencement, the provincial authorities will have to acquire segments of agricultural land and adjust fence placements to facilitate the expansion of the route leading to Lethbridge.
Planners have outlined that the intricate undertaking will entail alterations to intersections and the closure of private driveways, with some being replaced by parallel auxiliary roads to ensure connectivity for farms and ranches that would otherwise be isolated.
Rancher Brian Palichuk expressed his anticipation for the enhancement of the two-lane highway near his property but voiced concerns about the proposed design.
Palichuk, speaking at a recent information session in the Hamlet of Seven Persons where preliminary blueprints were unveiled, criticized the introduction of disconnected service roads, citing their high cost and the loss of valuable agricultural land for landowners like himself.
Currently, his driveway directly accesses Highway 3, but this access would be cut off as a 36-kilometer stretch of the highway is twinned from the city limits of Medicine Hat to near Bow Island.
The construction of a new 800-meter driveway to the opposite end of his property, connecting to a range road, would be financially burdensome and would utilize land designated for cattle grazing, according to Palichuk.
He is not alone in his reservations, as 172 residents along the route have signed a petition urging officials to reconsider the plans to maintain more access points.
Palichuk emphasized that petitioners are not opposed to streamlining intersections where feasible but are urging authorities to consider preserving additional entry points.
With regards to the next steps, Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors officials mentioned that, in response to public input, the current proposals incorporate eight more intersections compared to an initial plan drafted in 2024. This adjustment eliminates the necessity for nine kilometers of new gravel side roads, although some will still be required.
Project manager Darren Davidson highlighted the challenge of ensuring accessibility to all four quarter-sections of farmland when the right-of-way traverses diagonally across a property. He acknowledged that the existing highway intersects properties extensively but emphasized efforts to minimize the impact on agriculture and residents.
Davidson indicated that while the driveway configurations and access roads are subject to negotiation, the highway’s alignment is well-established.
The final alignment plans confirm that the highway will continue to pass by businesses and a front street in Seven Persons instead of veering off on a suggested bypass through cropland south of the town.
Additionally, adjustments at Medicine Hat will involve a slight westward shift in the highway to accommodate the long-term expansion of the airport.
The existing corridor, developed over several decades, faces congestion issues in certain areas due to the presence
