The Town of Battleford just got a little closer to its Gasoline Alley dream, as council approved a $39,100 estimate for a detailed design of the service road, which will run from Highway 16 to 29th Street along Highway 4 south.
"It's happening as we speak," said Town of Battleford mayor Chris Odishaw of the project, explaining the Town is currently in the process of land acquisition, detail design and tendering, with construction set to begin next spring.
The service road is one aspect of the $12.5 million twinning of Highway 4, part of the urban connectors program, which is funded by all three levels of government. It will see the Town of Battleford with its first two intersections controlled by traffic lights, on Highway 4 at 29th Street and 22nd Street.
Town of Battleford mayor Chris Odishaw dubbed the service road Gasoline Alley after the collection of service stations, eateries and other commercial outlets just south of Red Deer, Alta.
"It will give us three kilometers of new commercial land development," explained Odishaw, adding he hopes the service road will pull people in from the highway.
Odishaw said another advantage of the service road is it will bring business to the town without augmenting traffic in the town centre.
"It keeps the small town feel intact," said Odishaw.
The mayor added he hopes to see a Tim Hortons in the Battlefords.
"I've always said, once Battleford has a Tim Hortons, I can retire," he laughed. "My work will be done."
