Towards a safer 63

Highway 63 is vital to the future prosperity and health of the region that drives Alberta’s and the nation’s economy. [...] Highway 63 connects Alberta to the oil sands and ensuring this highway corridor is safe and can accommodate the continued growth and development planned in the region is essential to the long term growth and prosperity of Fort McMurray, the Wood Buffalo region, the province and Canada. [...] Infrastructure improvements to date include the completion of the new Athabasca River Bridge, the completion and addition of passing lanes on Highway 63, the paving of Highway 881 and near-completion of the Thickwood and Confederation interchanges. [...] These facts highlight the challenges associated with a largely two-lane, undivided highway with a mix of traffic, as well as the need to ensure that the physical roadway better accommodates the amount and type of traffic present. [...] While it was made abundantly clear that twinning Highway 63 should be a priority for government, I was constantly reminded by the residents of Fort McMurray and others that twinning the highway will not be the cure to all dangers on the highway and that enforcement and education also play a key role.