The province has announced a cost-sharing agreement with St. Albert to widen one of the roads that connects the bedroom community to Edmonton’s Anthony Henday Drive.

Ray Gibbon Drive—an eight-kilometre stretch between Anthony Henday and Villeneuve Road—sees approximately 20,000 motorists per day.

St. Albert council approved funds for Ray Gibbon's initial design work in its 2019-2021 business plan.

The city’s agreement with the province means design work can begin this year, with construction expected to start in 2020.

“It will definitely alleviate (traffic). And we will design the intersections to stop the bottlenecking,” said St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron at the announcement on Monday.

The project’s $54.2 million cost will be shared equally between the province and St. Albert.

Minister of Transportation Brian Mason said the project has been on the province’s radar for years, but its financial aspect caused delays.

Ray Gibbon Drive improvements were listed as unfunded in the last budget.

“I don't want to lend credence to the notion that we're just pushing a bunch of announcements out the door before the election,” Minister of Transportation Brian Mason said.

“All of these are projects that were in the works.”

The cost-sharing agreement announced on Monday will see St. Albert carry most of the financial burden for at least the first five years.

Heron said the city was delighted to finally have the project finalized.

In June 2018, the Edmonton Metropolitan Region board listed twinning Ray Gibbon Drive as one of its top-10 projects ready for design.

The news has been well-received by commuters, but also brought up some concerns that originated in 2007 during the road’s construction.

The area is home to populations of white-tailed deer, black bears, coyotes and foxes. An environmental group wants the road’s design to include a fence to reduce the road’s impact on wildlife.

“It’s simply going to increase the amount of noise pollution and the number of animal strikes unless the province designs in some mitigating technologies,” Miles Constable, of Big Lake Environment Support Society, told CTV News.

The group plans to push for environmental protections throughout the design process.

St. Albert will manage the project. Construction will be completed in four phases over a 10-year period, starting at the south end of Ray Gibbon Drive.

With files from Timm Bruch