Anthony Henday Drive Southeast Leg Ring Road

The Anthony Henday Drive South East Leg Ring Road (AHD SELRR) was the largest transportation project awarded by Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation (INFTRA) and the first to be developed under a Design-Build-Finance-Operate (DBFO) model of public-private partnership (P3) by the province. Under the P3 arrangement, Edmonton road users received a modern freeway at least two years earlier than it would have been delivered, if a traditional procurement method was used.

 This leg of the ring road is comprised of:

• 11 kilometres total length from Calgary Trail/Gateway Boulevard east to Highway 14/216;
• six lanes divided freeway between Calgary Trail/Gateway Blvd and 50th Street and four lanes divided freeway between 50th Street and Highway 216/14 (with grading for two more future lanes along the entire length);
• 20 separate bridge structures;
• 124 lane kilometres of road;
• full freeway status (no traffic lights);
• five interchanges offering access on or off AHD SELRR at Calgary Trail/Gateway Boulevard, 91st Street, 50th Street, 17th Street and Highway 14/216;
• four fly-overs (bridge structures with no freeway access) at Parsons Road, 66th Street, 34th Street and 34th Avenue;
• Alberta's first third level fly-over structure; and,
• seven rail grade separation structures and a signalized rail level crossing.

 The overall goal of the ring road was to form an important transportation link for the communities in the Edmonton region to relieve the pressures on the existing road network in the city. This goal included a number of specific objectives shared by INFTRA and PCL, including:

• providing effective and efficient highway infrastructure;  
• ensuring the safety of the travelling public;
• ensuring the highway is designed, constructed, operated, maintained and rehabilitated in an environmentally responsible manner that meets or exceeds all specified Provincial and Federal standards;
• allocating the risks between the public and private sectors to the party best able to manage and mitigate them; and,
• obtaining value by optimizing life-cycle costs.

The design/engineering firms specialize in bridge and highway design and were responsible for designing 20 bridge structures and 11 kilometres of highway including signage and lighting.  The quality assurance specialists managed the Quality ISO standard compliance, and the environmental specialists and consultants managed the ISO compliant Environmental Management System.   Another integral discipline was the road safety audit group which was responsible for certifying the road was constructed to a reasonable level of safety, prior to opening the road to the public.   

 PCL was awarded the Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association Environmental Award in 2007 for its outstanding commitment to environmental considerations on the Anthony Henday Drive Southeast Leg Ring Road project.