St. Paul – The County of St. Paul is joining 10 other Alberta municipalities in calling on the provincial government to improve safety along Highway 36 by adding passing lanes and designated turnouts for slower-moving vehicles.

Highway 36 runs north to south through eastern Alberta, connecting the United States border with northern Alberta, including the industrial hub of Fort McMurray. The highway passes through communities including Taber, Brooks, Hanna and Castor, and serves as an important transportation corridor for agricultural, commercial and industrial traffic.

Although Highway 36 does not pass directly through the County of St. Paul, the municipality is supporting the regional effort to improve safety along the provincial route.

During its October 27 meeting, council approved signing a revised joint municipal letter addressed to Alberta’s Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, Devin Dreeshen.

The County had previously supported the initiative during its August 25 meeting. However, the County revised the letter after feedback from participating municipalities.

The updated request focuses specifically on Highway 36’s conditions and includes designated turnouts alongside passing lanes as potential solutions.

Concerns over oversized loads and limited passing opportunities

Highway 36 is designated as part of Alberta’s High Load Corridor, allowing oversized and unusually wide industrial loads to travel along a route designed to accommodate them.

However, much of the highway remains an undivided, two-lane roadway.

The municipalities argue that the combination of oversized loads, agricultural equipment, commercial vehicles and regular traffic creates dangerous conditions when drivers have limited opportunities to pass safely.

The letter raises concerns about long lines of vehicles forming behind slower-moving equipment, particularly when impatient drivers attempt to pass.

Poor weather conditions can further complicate travel.

The municipalities are asking the province to prioritize alternating passing lanes and designated turnouts along the entire highway, providing safer opportunities for vehicles to pass or for slower traffic to pull aside.

Eleven municipalities backing the request

The joint letter includes support from:

• Special Areas Board
• Beaver County
• Town of Castor
• Flagstaff County
• Village of Irma
• County of Minburn
• County of Newell
• County of Paintearth No. 18
• County of St. Paul
• Municipal District of Taber
• County of Warner

The Special Areas Board is coordinating the initiative and arranging electronic signatures from participating municipalities.

Council’s October 27 decision authorizes the County of St. Paul to sign the revised letter, with the Reeve designated as its representative.

The request does not include a municipal financial commitment, and no provincial construction funding or timeline has been announced for the initiative.

For now, the municipalities are hoping their combined voices will encourage the province to prioritize improvements along one of Alberta’s major industrial transportation routes.