Calvin Goulet-Jones Community Voice: Red Deer & Area: There have been a lot of questions recently regarding the proposed Highway 2 expansion through the Red Deer River valley.

The provincial government recently released a fact sheet outlining their perspective on the project. I’m sharing some of the information here simply to help provide context and allow people to see what the government is saying about the proposal.

This is not meant to advocate one way or another, but simply to provide another side of the discussion.

Here is what the government says:

Why does the province say improvements are needed?

According to the Government of Alberta, the section of Highway 2 through the Red Deer River valley has a higher-than-average incident rate compared with other parts of the corridor.

The province attributes this largely to older highway design standards including tight curves, sharp crests, and limited sightlines that reflect design standards from the 1950s.

The government also says traffic volumes continue to grow as Alberta’s population increases, and without improvements congestion and safety risks are expected to worsen.

What role does Highway 2 play in Alberta’s transportation system?

The province describes Highway 2 as one of Alberta’s most important transportation corridors, connecting the Edmonton and Calgary metropolitan regions.

It supports the movement of people, goods, and services across the province and also serves a local function in Red Deer by providing access to neighbourhoods, businesses, and institutions on both sides of the Red Deer River.

What concerns exist with the current Red Deer River bridges?

According to the province, the existing twin Red Deer River bridges were built in the early 1960s and are approaching the end of their service life.

Increasing maintenance requirements and periodic lane closures have been cited as affecting reliability and capacity on this portion of Highway 2.

What improvements is the government proposing?

The project described by the province includes:

• Widening Highway 2 between 32 Street and Highway 11 from four lanes to eight lanes
• Replacing the existing Red Deer River bridges with new structures designed to modern safety standards
• Correcting curves and grades to improve sightlines and driver expectations
• Designing the highway to modern freeway standards, including a 130 km/h design speed (an engineering design standard, not the posted speed limit)

Why isn’t the highway simply widened in its current location?

According to the province, widening the highway within the existing alignment would not resolve several of the safety issues related to curves, grades, and sightlines in the valley.
It would also require replacing the bridges in the same location, which the government says could result in longer disruptions to traffic during construction.

Because of the physical constraints in the valley and the nearby rail corridor, the proposed design shifts part of the highway alignment slightly east to meet modern highway design standards.

How would Maskepetoon Park and the Red Deer River valley be affected?

The government acknowledges that portions of the Red Deer River valley — including areas near Maskepetoon Park — would be affected by the proposed highway realignment.

According to the province, environmental studies have been conducted to examine impacts to wetlands, wildlife habitat, watercourses, and historical resources within the valley.

The fact sheet states that project planning aims to avoid the most sensitive areas where possible and to reduce impacts through mitigation measures.

What about wildlife movement through the valley?

The province notes that the Red Deer River valley functions as an important wildlife corridor.
The government says the project design will consider wildlife movement and include mitigation measures intended to reduce animal-vehicle collisions and maintain wildlife connectivity through the valley.

Why is the highway being widened to eight lanes?

According to the province, traffic volumes on Highway 2 are expected to continue increasing as Alberta’s population grows and economic activity expands.

The government says widening the highway to eight lanes through this section is intended to accommodate long-term traffic demand and reduce congestion along one of Alberta’s busiest transportation corridors.

When would construction happen?

The province says the project is currently being advanced through planning and design so that it will be ready to proceed once funding decisions are made.
A construction timeline has not yet been confirmed.

Source: Hwy 2 Fact Sheet Section C
Source: Highway 2 Widening – Red Deer Project Summary Presentation

Laura Murphy: Overview of the extent of damage to Maskepetoon Park and wetlands with the proposed highway 2 expansion on Google Earth Map.

What Calvin isn’t saying is that 25% of Maskepetoon Park including the wetlands will be destroyed. Initially, AB Transportation said that they wanted a win-win situation. Sadly, the stakeholders, including those whose residences are either backing on to the park, or in the vicinity of the park, after reaching out to Mr. Dreeshen with an alternative proposal, received the same, word for word, form letter.

It is very disappointing that citizens are not being heard.

This park is zoned A-2 Environmental Protection land under the Land Bylaws. It’s also a designated pollinator park. Many people in the City of Red Deer don’t even know about the highway expansion.

Suggestions have been put to the AB Transportation that a six-lane highway would be sufficient with the lanes moving to the west rather than through the park. Highway lanes are 12 feet wide. The ditch in between southbound and northbound is in fact more than wide enough to accommodate a lane and a concrete barrier and on the southbound the ditch to left (which has already been readied and fairly leveled) could be used as another lane without encroaching on the CP Rail right of way. Now that would be a win/win scenario since Maskepetoon Park would remain whole, traffic flow would be improved and let’s face it, building a highway over a wetlands isn’t going to be the most stable. Millions of dollars could also be saved.

Building a “replacement” wetland on the other side of Highway 2 to the west, which is not feasibly accessible to residents by foot, doesn’t negate the fact that wetlands and habitat that are well established are being destroyed. We will not gain anything by the proposed replacement which will take up to 40 years or more to reach the level of the
existing wetlands in Maskepetoon Park.

Beyond the false promise of greater safety, the road’s expansion from eight lanes back to four creates high-speed chokepoints potentially more hazardous than the curve currently targeted for elimination. If safety is truly the priority, lowering, not raising, speed limits should be the focus, as other communities do when confronted with similar risks.

Further, as wider, faster roads bring more vehicles to the corridor, levels of air and noise pollution will increase. Numerous studies link such increases—especially of fine particulate matter near highways—to higher incidences of respiratory and cardiovascular illness. Red Deer’s community health and quality of life cannot be sacrificed for the expedience of traffic flow, especially for those neighborhoods bordering the park.

The natural habitat and wildlife in the park will suffer significant ecological damage, which is unacceptable. The City of Red Deer invested millions to create this space, and paving over it makes little sense, especially from an environmental standpoint. Destroying the park’s biodiversity and eliminating its wetlands will also diminish its ability to capture carbon.

Laura Murphy: Our group, SAVE MASKEPETOON PARK AND WETLANDS, have addressed the wetlands that they proclaim to be building with Alberta Transportation. We were told by one of the project team at the July information session that they would be draining whatever has been started there for parking for their vehicles during the project. We took a drive to find this new wetlands and I think it’s going to be close to Burnt Lake trail because we sure didn’t see anything besides a gravel pit with junk in it and a botanist we know said what they are proposing is full of noxious and invasive weeds.

Also, the reason that many people built and bought homes in Oriole Park West was specifically for the park and its wetlands. A perfect place to go for a walk on the trails with the family and to observe the wildlife.

I spoke with a “Communication Expert” that one of the subcontractors for AB Transportation hired and I felt he was respectful and understanding until I got off the phone and realized I had been completely gaslighted. He was smooth!
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The other thing that I am confused about is that every bat in Alberta is protected under the Wildlife Act. It is illegal to kill, harm, or harass bats, and it is illegal to disturb their roosts or dens. A $25,000 fine can be levied for these actions and yet it’s perfectly legal for AB Transportation to plow down their colonies?

Red Deer Advocate, March 13, 2026: ​https://reddeeradvocate.com/2026/03/13/residents-fighting-to-save-maskepetoon-park-from-highway-expansion-not-giving-up/

SAVE MASKEPETOON PARK AND WETLANDS - Hwy 2 Expansion Concerns! Facebook Group

MY EMAIL REPLY:

Answering this question requires more in-depth research and access to information that, as a regular citizen, I don’t currently have. However, I can share the following points:

First, I have posted the information you provided on my campaign website, along with Google Street View images of the area in question.

Second, setting aside the human factor, I strongly believe in protecting and preserving our wetlands and greenspaces. Similar to what some larger cities in Ontario have done, I propose forming a Red Deer Conservation Authority, which would bring all relevant groups together under a single committee. This authority would oversee the city’s river lands and wetlands, coordinate preservation efforts, and serve as a formal voice to council in opposition to projects proposed too close to these sensitive areas. Their endorsement would be required for any projects occurring within a designated distance from the river and wetlands.

From what I have observed, our city and province lag behind several others in terms of protecting important ecosystems, and we shouldn’t wait for Alberta to catch up. For example, the ongoing CPR Bridge rehabilitation project is already causing environmental damage in and around the site. In Ontario, projects near rivers are subject to much stricter guidelines, including demonstrating that river lands will not be negatively impacted. I don’t believe a comparable environmental protection framework currently exists here, and I think it’s something our city urgently needs.

While the expansion of the QE-II is primarily a provincial issue, and most public concerns would need to be addressed at that level, I also believe Red Deer should take a more proactive role in protecting and preserving our greenspaces. This is one reason I have advocated for converting some of our green-lawn park areas back to native plants and grasses, which not only reduces maintenance costs but also provides vital food sources for bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.

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I wish to address the issues relating to the proposed fracturing of
Maskepetoon Park.

Environmental:
“How Cities Can Give Nature a Helping Hand”
The Globe & Mail Editorial August 30, 2025

“There are small measures of atonement for the destructive ways
of the past. We have done and continue to do incapable damage
to the planet that sustains us.”

While modern cities like Paris, Seoul and Toronto have cleaned up rivers,
tore down elevated expressways and brought back dried up streams,
Alberta Transportation wishes to exert its power to take 25 percent of
Maskepetoon Park from the residents of the City of Red Deer.

What makes Red Deer unique is its beautiful parks and trail system. I’m
pretty sure this was a deciding factor when my parents decided to move
from Saskatchewan more than 45 years ago.

I was fortunate to bike many kilometres of our trail system but when I made
a visit to Maskepetoon Park back in 2012 all I could say was “Wow!”. This
park made such a lasting impression on me and my husband, we decided
to move from the south of Red Deer to the north.

COVID-19 brought more people to Maskepetoon Park for both physical and
mental health. The walking trails, bridges and boardwalks, not to mention
the gorgeous views of the river valley, was a great way to de-stress during
a very difficult time.

It is not unusual to see a cow moose and calf sunning themselves near the
wetlands, “busy” beavers doing what beavers do and the resident bald
eagles soaring above the treeline looking for their next meal. These
incredible animals are just a snippet of what lives in and around

Maskepetoon Park. When the bulldozers demolish their habitat I have to
ask what plans are in place to ensure their safety and well-being?
Noise and Air Pollution:

Alberta Transportation proposes to move the QE II closer to existing
residential. Even though I reside a far distance from the highway, I have
measured noise levels that exceed 63 decibels. Studies have shown that
constant noise has significant negative impacts on both mental and
physical health including hypertension, cardiovascular and metabolic
diseases.

In an email reply from Alberta Transportation, I was told: “where
you live this will not affect you”. I beg to differ. Not only will it affect me but
it will affect every residence that lives along the highway that stretches from
32 Street to 67 Street. Excessive speeds and air braking systems are
enough to drive a person mad, especially during the evening hours.

In the early morning the smell coming from the highway from gas and
diesel is very apparent. Destroying the trees that both buffer noise and
reduce carbon will only aggravate an already unhealthy situation. What will
be done to mitigate the sound and air quality issues that are already
beyond what should be tolerated? Has an air quality and noise assessment
been done?

Alberta Transportation has indicated that it will be up to the City of Red
Deer to construct a noise barrier. A huge undertaking considering the
existing berm does little to reduce the noise. The City of Red Deer will be
paying a very high price for decades to come and I do not just mean
financially.

Safety:

Alberta Transportation has touted safety as one of the biggest reasons to
substantiate realigning the highway north of the Red Deer River crossing.
My question is that if the existing curve was of such a great concern, why
was something not done long ago? Straightening the curve will only
increase speeds. Research has shown that on a straighter stretch of road
drivers tend to become over confident thus increasing their speeds. A
driver’s speed increases the likelihood of a catastrophic outcome resulting
from a crash.

A Better Solution:

Why not construct a brand new three lane bridge adjacent to the existing
Southbound bridge? Demolish the Northbound bridge and build the new
Northbound bridge in the same location. The railway tracks can be moved
to the West. It can be done! Budget constraints should not be the only
factor taken into consideration when there are so many negative outcomes.

​The Government of Alberta and the Municipality of Red Deer owe it to both
present and future constituents to start a meaningful dialogue with
Canadian Pacific Railway to move the existing tracks.

On a personal level, I wonder how this will affect the property values in
Oriole Park West? I was not aware of any future plans to remove a quarter
of Maskepetoon Park when I purchased my home. What kind of monetary
compensation will be allotted to all residents residing along the highway
from 32 Street to 67 Street when they cannot sell their homes or when they
develop health issues as a result of the increased noise and worsened air
quality from a highway that is constructed through their backyards.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing your position regarding
this matter.

Shelley Simmonds
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