The Heritage Hills Community Association (HHCA) is strongly opposed to establishing land-use for annexed land north of their neighbourhood before road infrastructure is improved.

At the Feb. 24 public hearing, HCAA representatives said they are not opposed to the proposed land-use but insist road improvements come first.

HCAA president Trent Leinenweber says the association is deeply concerned with further traffic congestion in an area that is having issues.

"I would say it was more than a preference. I would say it's a strong ask. If they decide to move forward ahead of time, we're going to have to put that out to the residents of Heritage Hills and Heartland to figure out our next steps."

"Horse Creek Road has no shoulders, there is no safety system in place on that, so it would be very interesting whether it can handle that with just the sportsplex, let alone 1,200 vehicle movements."

Additionally, Range Road 43 will no longer intersect Hwy. 22 when the new 1A/22 interchange is developed.

A detailed assessment (TIA) concludes traffic generated by the proposed development on the quarter-section can be accommodated if the following network improvements are completed.

  • Highway 1A and 22 interchange;
  • twinning of Highway 1A from the interchange to Horse Creek Road;
  • creating additional access off of Highway 1A east or Heritage Gate/Heartland Blvd. that will provide access to Heritage Hills on the north and Heartland to the south; and
  • the urbanization of Township Road 262 from a gravel road to a four-line collector road from Horse Creek Road to Range Road 43

Councillor Alex Reed has his doubts that it will work.

"Understandably, the network improvements won't happen anytime soon, so that's one issue, but even if they were to happen soon, I just don't see it, personally."

Drew Hyndman, senior manager of planning services, says all future development was taken into consideration in completing the traffic modeling. With network improvements completed, they are confident it will work.

"Of course, all that infrastructure is not there, so that's one of the things that is of concern to us," 

Hwy 1A will be twinned from the junction of 22 to about the entrance to the Cochrane and District Agricultural Society as part of the interchange development. As it stands, the town would be responsible for twinning it the rest of the way to Horse Creek Rd.

The public hearing was last adjourned on Dec. 9 to allow for the traffic impact assessment to be completed.

With the public hearing now concluded after three sessions, council is expected to decide the near future, possibly as early as their Mar. 9 meeting.

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