The Town of Sylvan Lake is inviting community members to actively engage in devising a construction plan along Memorial Trail.
Communications Officer Jared Waldo said, “The Town is looking for input on the short, medium, and long-term functional plans for Memorial Trail which will become the guiding document for the future construction of the roundabouts, roadway, and intersections.”
Waldo said that community engagement aims “to keep the public informed on proposed functional plans and provide an opportunity to ensure all concerns and inputs have been considered in the functional plans.”
The opportunity to provide input and learn more about the project includes an information package, along with an online survey, and an online mapping tool available on the Town website until Oct. 25. The Town also held a live engagement session and presentation with the public last week.
Added information on plans for the proposed roundabouts, road cross-sections, landscape, multi-use pathway, and changes to access paths along Memorial Trail, can also be found on the Town’s website at calendar.sylvanlake.ca/council/Detail/2021-10-14-1730-Memorial-Trail-Open-House.
Waldo shared, “The community response to date has been mostly positive. We’ve received a fair amount of feedback with this engagement session.
“The Town also performed a public engagement session with a questionnaire in 2020 asking people what their thoughts and experiences were…in respect to the transportation network.
“We had received substantial public feedback in respect to Memorial Trail and the intersection(s) along with it at that time as well. This information will be and has been used in conjunction with this engagement session in creating the proposed functional plans.”
After the active engagement period closes on Oct. 25, an engagement summary will be developed. Waldo explained the summary will detail how input was collected, what was heard, and the number of respondents during this phase of engagement. “The engagement summary will be shared with the public and used by the project team to finalize the functional plans for Memorial Trail.”
Waldo said the anticipated start date and scope of the project will depend on town growth and available funding.
Waldo shared, “With the future twinning of Hwy. 11 and the construction of a roundabout at the Hwy. 11 intersections of 60 St. and 50 St. expected to begin in 2022, the Town is coordinating with Alberta Transportation to minimize the impacts to commuters as much and as reasonable as possible.
“The short-term plan for future construction along Memorial Trail, which includes the roundabouts on the arterial roads (50 St., 60 St.) and Hwy. 20, is anticipated to be completed in 10 years.”
Memorial Trail is a significant roadway within the Town, with many residents and visitors using this route every day.
Waldo said, “The Town wants to know what the people who frequently use the roadway think about its current performance; what they see as issues, what ideas do they have on potential changes, etc. We want to provide the public the opportunity to be part of something that will be part of the Town of Sylvan Lake for many years to come and create something we all can be proud of.”