Highway 2 Gaetz Avenue Interchange Improvement Project

What's New

• Taylor Drive will be closed to traffic, from 19 Street to south of the Highway 2/2A turn-off, on Wednesday, September 6, 2017, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Thursday morning. This closure is required to protect motorists while crews place girders on the Highway 2 bridges over Taylor Drive. This work is weather dependent.
  • Detours will be in place during the night and will be removed when Taylor Dr. re-opens to traffic in the morning. Motorists wanting to head south on Taylor Dr. will be re-routed to the Highway 2/32 Street interchange then back to the Highway 2A turn-off. Motorists wanting to travel north on Taylor Dr. from Highway 2A will be detoured to the Highway 2/McKenzie Rd. interchange then back north on Highway 2 to access Taylor Drive from 19 Street. For the detour plans, click here.
• A new traffic set-up is currently in effect along Highway 2, between Taylor Drive and south of Gaetz Avenue. Northbound Highway 2 traffic has been detoured onto the southbound lanes where both northbound and southbound traffic are operating. Two lanes are being accommodated in each direction and traffic is separated by concrete barriers.
  • As part of this temporary traffic set-up, northbound Gaetz Avenue has been closed at Highway 2. Northbound Highway 2 traffic wishing to access Gaetz Avenue is being detoured onto Gasoline Alley East, where it re-joins Gaetz Avenue where northbound Gasoline Alley East merges onto Gaetz Avenue.
  • This new traffic set-up is required in order to complete the new northbound lanes for Highway 2. This set-up will be in effect until fall 2017.
  • Please see the attached plan showing the detour routes.
• Reduced speed limits will remain in effect through the construction zone as work will take place during the day and night. To view current traffic conditions on:
  • Highway 2 eastbound traffic at the exit to Taylor Drive, click here.
  • Highway 2 and Gasoline Alley northbound traffic, south of the Gaetz Avenue turn-off, click here.

What to Expect in 2017

The following work is planned for 2017. Please watch for various traffic detours throughout the 2017 construction season.

• Work on or around Taylor Drive to include:
  • Building up reinforced fill on both sides of Taylor Drive to stabilize the embankment for the new bridges;
  • Construction of concrete deck/barriers for the northbound Highway 2 bridges over Taylor Drive; and
  • Completion of the mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls along Taylor Drive
• You can also find information on the City of Red Deer’s work on Taylor Drive here.

2016 Construction Progress

• Southbound Gaetz Avenue to Highway 2 was closed in September 2016 to facilitate construction of the new Gaetz Avenue bridge and new Highway 2 alignment.
• Temporary traffic signals were installed at the Highway 2A (Taylor Drive) interchange ramp to provide detour access to Highway 2 southbound.
• Grading work began in the median of Highway 2.
• Foundation piles were driven for the Taylor Drive and Gaetz Avenue bridges.
• A noise berm adjacent to Waskasoo Estates was constructed.
• Other work included: wick drain installation in the northwest area of the interchange, storm pipe installation and temporary retaining walls were constructed.

For more information, please email us at info@hwy2gaetz.com.

In 2016, Alberta Transportation began a multi-year project to construct a new interchange at Highway 2, Gaetz Avenue and Taylor Drive, south of the City of Red Deer.

In addition to being an important corridor for highway travel, Gaetz Avenue and Taylor Drive provide access to key destinations for local residents.

The new interchange will:

• Accommodate increased traffic volumes on Highway 2 by providing for three lanes in each direction.
• Improve safety for motorists on these roads by separating high and low speed traffic getting to and from the highway.
• Integrate the Taylor Drive and Gaetz Avenue interchanges into one full interchange system, improving safety and ease of travel.

Construction of the interchange began September, 2016, and is estimated to be completed in fall 2018, weather dependent.

The project will include the removal of three bridge structures, construction of five new bridge structures, reconfiguration of ramps and intersections, realignment of Highway 2, expansion to six lanes between 32 Street and Mackenzie Road and the construction of new collector-distributor roads.

The interchange system is designed to separate high speed highway traffic from low speed local traffic. This will be accomplished with the construction of a new collector-distributor road system. The collector-distributor road system will include a one-way road on each side of the highway that will run parallel to the highway.

Motorists can expect some delays in the area during construction, however, two lanes in each direction will be open on Highway 2 during the day, and access to businesses in Gasoline Alley East and Gasoline Alley West will be maintained.