LAC LA BICHE - Discussions about a new gas station at a Highway 55 intersection near a Lac La Biche industrial park have fuelled some heated discussions and got people moving in different directions.
The intersection is at the eastern entrance to about 40 hectares of available industrial land on the south side of Highway 55, about two kilometres west of the Lac La Biche hamlet. It’s the same intersection that serves the Sentinel Industrial park on the north side of Highway 55. The permitting process for a new gas station at the intersection has uncovered concerns about the road’s current safety levels from Alberta Transportation.
“If my hand goes up to support putting another gas station in the community, I’m going to get ripped.”
Lac La Biche County councillor Lorin Tkachuk describing the public reaction he suspects.
Lac La Biche County councillors were told recently that if the intersection isn’t upgraded, future development in the area — including the gas station — will be affected.
Developers building the gas station include current Lac La Biche County Mayor Paul Reutov.
The proposed new fuel station and convenience store are on the same property currently housing the Castle Building Supply store. The businesses are located on the northeastern access to the industrial park. Two other entrances into the industrial park are located on Tower Road, on the western edge of the subdivision.
Steve Engman, a consultant working for the developers and the municipality, says Alberta Transportation officials are calling for big improvements to the intersection where the proposed developments are currently underway.
The Cold Lake-based transportation and construction consultant was recently called to discuss the project with Lac La Biche County councillors at a public meeting — where he was also suggesting an $800,000 intersection upgrade.
Mayor in conflict
Before the conversation could begin, Reutov, and councillor John Mondal left the meeting, each saying they had conflicts of interest with the project.
One of the councillors staying for the discussion admitted he was hearing from residents with more of a general conflict about the proposed development and the sudden ask for tax dollars.
“For me, this one is a tough one… We want to bring in commerce, we want to bring in economic development, but the trigger for this one — from what I’ve been told from the community, is a very over-served segment of our commerce right now… a gas station — is triggering an $800,000 improvement potentially,” said councillor Lorin Tkachuk.
“I know I’m going to get torn apart for it… It’s a difficult pill for me to swallow. If we had industry coming in there, an oil company, a vertical farm, you name it, the people of the community would eat it up… (but) I know I if my hand goes up to support putting another gas station in the community, I’m going to get ripped.”
There are currently nine gas stations within the hamlet and another two bulk stations within a kilometre of the hamlet.
Unsafe intersection, says consultant
Engman said that no matter what the new development is, the intersection will need to be upgraded due to increases in traffic and development since the subdivision was first built in 2012.
Without the upgrades, no further development — including the gas station — will be allowed to proceed in the subdivision, he told councillors.
“If council says no… the business probably cannot open,” he said. “At this moment I would say the gas station would not open if an (upgraded) intersection doesn’t happen there, but neither will likely any other plan that comes to the door.”
The consultant showed councillors a 2014 transportation impact study said that by 2020, a threshold for the intersection’s safety levels would likely be met due to projected growth in the area. Engman, who is also contracted to work for the County, said that while he has been working for the developer, that threshold limit was highlighted.
“Right now this intersection is over-capacity for what is out there,” he said, explaining recent conversations with Alberta Transportation officials on behalf of the developers and the municipality. “They are saying this is an unsafe intersection.”
As part of an overall $800,000 upgrade, Engman suggested a slower speed zone, streetlights, and wider and longer turning lanes. The addition of four-way traffic lights at the intersection would add an additional $600,000 to the project, he said.
A fully upgraded intersection would meet traffic and development demands for the next 20 years, Engman explained.
“Last-minuted,” says councillor
The upgrade would also open the door to other needed intersection upgrades in the area.
At least two other intersections along the Highway 55 western entrance to the Lac La Biche hamlet are suspected to be beyond Alberta Transportation’s safety thresholds.
Although the highway is the responsibility of the province, adjacent subdivisions and roadways fall under the municipal jurisdiction.
Councillors say they have been ‘blind-sided’ by the information. Some wanted to know why the developers or the process had not raised any red flags when the new gas station project was first started. Others questioned the timing in relation to their ongoing budget planning for 2023. Others expressed a concern that a “sloppy” issue was now going to stall potential future development on acres of available land.
“I don’t want to stagnate 37 hectares … and now there’s a business being built with more nails and more screws being put into it, with the expectation that that the 800,000 is going to be spent — all as we are doing a budget already. At this point in the budget…(it) is incredibly frustrating… to be pushed on us at the last minute,” said councillor Jason Stedman. “If we knew this was coming, it should have been brought to us… If we say no, a person who has already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars doesn’t get to open their doors? This is sloppy.”
In addition to the internal concerns about the project, new costs, and the process, councillor Charlyn Moore says “sloppy” is also a way to describe the optics of the whole issue.
“The rumour mill on this… the stigma on this, the blow-back on this … all for one developer, is not looking good. It is sloppy,” she said, adding that she would not vote in favour of one intersection upgrade until a full report had been done on all other possible roadways that were nearing — or had passed — Alberta Transportation threshold levels for safety. ”Otherwise I’m just shot-putting traffic lights all over town wherever a developer sees fit.”
Reports to be made
Councillors voted in favour of having their administration create a review of all intersections along Highway 55 from the Highway 663 intersection to the truck route.
Another decision was also approved that will document a full accounting of the process and timeline involved with the gas station and convenience store project, including development permit applications and other permit approvals.
Both reports are expected back early in the new year.
