Highway 63 to Fort McMurray gets $15 million in emergency repairs after pothole crisis
Alberta announces funding after months of public outrage; citizens filled potholes themselves last month.
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After months of deteriorating road conditions and public outcry, the Alberta government announced $15 million will be allocated to repairing Highway 63, the only highway out of Fort McMurray.
The funding is part of a larger $22.4-million increase to the province's highway maintenance budget, announced July 5. Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen said the extra funding will help pay for more road maintenance along Highway 63, including the stretch through Fort McMurray. "In addition to this work, we're also expediting a new contract to repave 48 kilometres of Highway 63 southbound near Wandering River, and another contract to pave 30 kilometres along both Highways 63 and 881 in the Fort McMurray area," Dreeshen said.
The announcement comes after months of public anger over the highway's condition. Mohammed Tarrabin organized a community effort last month to fill potholes after his own vehicle was damaged and he heard stories from others with flat tires and broken suspensions. Some sections of the highway are riddled with large crevices where asphalt is tearing away, making driving extremely rough, according to UCP MLA Tany Yao, who has raised concerns in the legislature for years.
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Mayor Sandy Bowman said the funding is overdue. "The best two times to plant a tree are right now or 10 years ago," he said. Tarrabin said the additional funding is amazing but remains skeptical. "I hope they put their money where their mouth is," he said.
