There’s a joke that circulates in St. Albert – the first thing to greet anyone when they enter the city’s limits is a photo radar van.
But that will change this year as the city will finally erect signs at five different entrances to the city that are currently unmarked.
In total, the $1-million project will create one sign for a major entrance and four signs for secondary entrances into St. Albert, as well as improving the landscaping at each site. First approved in 2010, the city has since added more funding to the project in successive budgets, setting aside a total of $500,000 for the signs and $500,000 for the rehabilitation of each entrance.
“The entrances have been quite ugly,” said Mayor Nolan Crouse. “I think it was an image, a terrible image, in so many ways.”
The signs will incorporate the city’s “Cultivate Life” brand.
The intersections that will get signs and intersection improvements are located at Ray Gibbon Drive and 137 Avenue, 170th Street and Levasseur Road, the St. Albert Trail south limits at the Ron Hodgson dealership, the St. Albert Trail north city limits and the intersection of Campbell Road and Boudreau Road.
“I think it’s important to continue to reinforce your identity as a distinct community,” said Crouse. “I think it’s always good to know when you arrive at your own community.”
While the city initially approved funding in 2010 of $200,000, followed by another $200,000 in 2011 and another $100,000 in 2012, the project was delayed because of ongoing work at each intersection. The fact some of the signs are located within the transportation utility corridor also meant the city had to get approval from Alberta Transportation to actually build them.
The mayor has been pushing for the city to clean up the entrances for some time, especially given the volume of work St. Albert has put into some of its major roads over the last three years, and the completion of Anthony Henday Drive. He also pushed for Alberta Transportation to include signs on the Henday pointing in St. Albert’s direction. Those were installed last year.
The city says traffic disruptions should be minimal, with some lane restrictions taking place when the actual landscaping is done at either the sign locations or on any boulevards in the area.
The signs should all be erected by the end of June.
