This week's announcement by the City of Airdrie and the Alberta Transportation Department that permission has been received for modifications to Sierra Springs Drive and Yankee Valley Boulevard, including a left hand turn lane has made Airdrie's MLA very happy.

Angela Pitt says it's a project that's been on her radar since she campaigned as a city councillor.  "In 2013 this was a campaign promise that I made running for municipal councillor and then I continued that advocacy in the role of the MLA.  I'm really, really pleased to see that this project is going ahead finally."  

Pitt thinks the intersection has been a pain for every driver in Airdrie.  In 2013 she learned the intersection improvements needed provincial permission before they could be done.  She says fortunately she's now in the provincial advocacy role, and she's gone to some extreme lengths to get the point made. 

"This has been on the top priority list that I have sent to the Transportation Minister for the last two years since being elected.  I've advocated for this in the legislature and I've actually been known to stalk this particular minister outside of the member's lounge on his way in just to make sure that he got the information in his hands in regard to this."

According to Pitt, MLA's are polled each year for their constituency capital projects and she has put the left hand turn lane from Sierra Springs Drive to Yankee Valley Boulevard at the top of the list for Alberta Transportation since being elected.  

Pitt says it's a great day for Airdrie.  "I'm so happy that the mayor and council have gotten on board and commissioned the engineering report and they're going to put forward the funds to make those changes at the intersection.  I'm really excited to see the project go forward."

 

 
Questions, comments or story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com