Next phase of Nisku Spine Road now open

The next phase of Nisku Spine Road – which includes two lanes from Township Road 510 south to Airport Road – is now open.

This phase of Nisku Spine Road marks one of the largest capital projects Leduc County has undertaken, and was made possible through a $17.7 million investment from the Government of Canada through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative-Infrastructure Fund (CCTI-IF).

The CCTI-IF fund was created to support infrastructure investments and economic diversification in communities impacted by the transition away from coal-fired electricity generation.

“The completion of this phase of Nisku Spine Road will open our region for long-term economic development opportunities and business diversification. More than 1,250 acres of currently vacant lands will now be open for development, which has the potential to create between 14,000 to 29,000 jobs and generate $1.2 to $2.3 billion in employment income."

Tanni Doblanko, Mayor of Leduc County

“Our government is partnering with communities on projects that create lasting economic benefits and high quality jobs for Albertans in part through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative-Infrastructure Fund. The Nisku Spine Road will serve as a critical transportation link for communities in Leduc County while providing local businesses with better access to transportation corridors reaching customers and markets in Alberta, across Canada and beyond. By working together, we’re building an economy that leaves no one behind.”

Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of PrairiesCan

“Driving economic growth, creating good paying jobs, and opening up new opportunities for local businesses. That’s what infrastructure projects like the Nisku Spine Road do for Canadians. This investment will help link some of the Edmonton Region’s key economic drivers, including the Nisku Business Park and the Edmonton International Airport, which will further strengthen the region’s position as a logistics hub and diversify our economy.”

Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance

Nisku Spine Road is a north-south roadway in Leduc County that supports the Nisku Business Park, YEG Edmonton International Airport, the cities of Leduc and Beaumont and surrounding region. The road is designed to accommodate oversized and over-dimensional vehicles in and out of Nisku and provides an alternate route from the City of Edmonton through Nisku and to communities south of Leduc County.

Quick facts

Leduc County is home to a coal mine and a generating station that have been key contributors to the County’s tax base since 1988. An economic study commissioned by the County expects completion of Nisku Spine Road to offset losses resulting from the move away from coal-fired electricity generation.

Nisku Spine Road is expected to reduce congestion and improve safety on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway, the province’s busiest highway connecting Edmonton and Calgary.

Previous federal government funding to construct portions of Nisku Spine Road include $7.3 million in 2015 and $2.3 million in 2009 through Infrastructure Canada.