The highway from Edmonton to Fort McMurray will be closed for a short time Monday as crews get set to open a portion of the newly twinned road.
Officials said the section of Highway 63 from the 11 kilometre mark to the 63 kilometre mark will be opening however delays should be expected to begin at 11 a.m.
The disruption will be worth it for most drivers according to Victoria Rodriguez.
“I am so excited. It is going to be so much safer for all of us to drive on that highway. It has been a long time coming,” she said.
Rodriguez travels the highway every weekend and said she believed it would make her trip safer.
“All travelers are happy right now with the new opening,” Athabasca County counsellor Jack Dowhaluk told CTV News.
“I am glad that it is on schedule.”
Terry Rota who occasionally travels the highway for work said he too believes the opening up of the twined portion will be a positive for drivers.
“I think it is going to be good. I think there are going to be less accidents up there.”
Following the opening the speed limit will increase from 100 km/h to 110 km/h except through the Hamlet of Wandering River.
For the next two weeks southbound traffic will experience temporary lane closures with speed reductions to 80 km/h as crews complete safety improvements.
Drivers have also been advised to watch for lane closure on the northbound section of Highway 63 from the 63 kilometre marker to the 99 kilometre marker as crews begin second stage paving.
With files from Amanda Anderson
