The Highway 11 upgrade project, focusing on twinning the highway between Sylvan Lake (west of Red Deer) and Rocky Mountain House, is a significant infrastructure initiative in Alberta aimed at improving safety, efficiency, and economic growth in the region. Below is the current state of the project based on available information as of April 2025.

Highway 11, also known as the David Thompson Highway, is being twinned over a 66-kilometer stretch from Sylvan Lake to Rocky Mountain House. Announced on July 17, 2020, the project is estimated to cost $120 million and is expected to support nearly 600 direct and indirect jobs. The twinning is being executed in four distinct sections, with varying stages of completion and planning3.

  • :
    Two sections east of Rocky Mountain House have already been completed. The first phase, a 4-kilometer stretch west of Highway 20 near Sylvan Lake, including two roundabouts at Highway 781 (50th Street) and Range Road 15 (60th Street), was opened in early 2023. The subsequent section to Benalto is also mostly complete as of early 202426.

  • :
    This section involves twinning Highway 11 from the southern boundary of Rocky Mountain House to 1 kilometer east of Highway 22. Preliminary design started in early 2022, with right-of-way purchases, utility coordination, and environmental studies ongoing since summer 2022. The tender is anticipated to be awarded in fall 2025, with construction slated to begin in 2026. The design includes a roundabout at the Highway 11 and Highway 22 intersection and a traditional four-lane intersection at Township Road 39225.

  • :
    Covering the largest portion of the project (approximately 41 kilometers), this section extends from Highway 22 to Township Road 390 near Benalto. A functional planning study by CIMA+ was completed in fall 2023. Design, right-of-way purchases, and utility coordination began in 2024, but no specific tendering or construction dates have been announced yet24.

A separate functional planning study is underway to update the 2003 twinning plan for Highway 11 through the town of Rocky Mountain House. Conducted by CIMA Canada Inc. on behalf of Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors, this study assesses current conditions, engages stakeholders, and evaluates twinning alternatives within town limits. The study, which began in spring 2024, is expected to conclude in winter 2024–25 with a finalized functional plan. However, construction of the twinning through Rocky Mountain House is not currently included in the provincial construction program, and a bypass around the town is not being considered14.

Public engagement sessions for this study were held on November 21, 2024, in Rocky Mountain House to gather input from residents and businesses1.

  • : Completion of earlier sections (Projects C and D) and planning for remaining sections (Projects A and B). No construction occurred in 2024 as the focus shifted to design and public consultation for the remaining 40 kilometers6.

  • : Tender award anticipated for Project A2.

  • : Construction expected to start on Project A, contingent on right-of-way negotiations5.

  • : Overall project timeline for the twinning from Sylvan Lake to Rocky Mountain House, though delays and cost adjustments due to inflation or design changes (e.g., additional roundabouts) remain possible36.

The twinning project is expected to enhance safety by addressing concerns related to heavy truck traffic on the existing single-lane highway. It will also improve travel efficiency, support tourism along the scenic David Thompson Highway, and boost economic activity in sectors like hospitality and services. Communities such as Nordegg and the broader Clearwater County region anticipate economic diversification and revitalization from increased tourism and reduced reliance on volatile industries like oil and gas5.

While the project progresses, challenges include potential cost increases due to inflation and design modifications, such as additional roundabouts requested by local communities (e.g., at Highway 766 near Eckville). The Town of Rocky Mountain House has advocated for twinning through the town to be included in the project scope, a request currently under review but outside the original plan6.

In summary, the Highway 11 twinning between Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House is advancing, with some sections complete and others in planning or pre-construction phases. While significant progress is expected by 2028, the twinning through Rocky Mountain House itself remains in the planning stage with no confirmed construction timeline.

Citations:

  1. https://www.alberta.ca/highway-11-rocky-mountain-house
  2. https://www.alberta.ca/highway-11-twinning-project
  3. https://majorprojects.alberta.ca/details/Highway-11-Twinning-Red-Deer-West-to-Rocky-Mountain-House/4162
  4. https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/home/rocky-mountain-house-highway-twinning-plan-being-updated-7650801
  5. https://945rewindradio.ca/2024/10/10/7865/
  6. https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/news/2024-will-be-a-planning-year-for-highway-11-twinning-project-7296325
  7. https://www.sylvanlakenews.com/local-news/highway-11-project-part-of-provincial-budget-2024-7333956
  8. https://rdnewsnow.com/2023/01/25/first-phase-of-twinning-highway-11-project-complete/
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Highway_11
  10. https://www.ponokanews.com/home2/red-deer-hospital-and-highway-11-twinning-get-big-bucks-in-provincial-budget-7850369
  11. https://roadreports.ama.ab.ca
  12. https://www.centralalbertaonline.com/articles/alberta-transportation-to-host-highway-twinning-info-session-in-rocky-today
  13. https://www.todayville.com/highway-twinning-from-sylvan-lake-to-rocky-mountain-house-among-dozens-of-infrastructure-projects-beginning-in-alberta/
  14. https://roadreports.ama.ab.ca/highways/hwy-11
  15. https://rdcounty.ca/808/Neighbouring-Areas
  16. https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/home2/budget-2025-will-be-meeting-challenges-faced-in-alberta-7883157

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