Road closure coming in Okotoks for regional waterline construction

A portion of North Railway Street in Okotoks will be closed for about three weeks beginning on Monday. 

North Railway Street will be closed from 32 Street to 40 Street East, near Seaman Stadium, from March 31 to April 22. 

The closure is for construction of the Foothills Okotoks Regional Water Project, and the Town of Okotoks said detours will be in place 24 hours a day.

Vehicles will not be able to access the parking lots for Bill Robertson Park, Tourmaline Field or Conrad Field during construction, and access to the Seaman Stadium parking lot will be from Don Seaman Way off 32 Street, the Town said. 

Traffic will be diverted north to Milligan Drive, Foothills County said.

Pipeline construction underway in Okotoks and Foothills County

The Foothills Okotoks Regional Water Project includes a 25-kilometre pipeline that will carry water from the Bow River to water treatment plants in Okotoks and Aldersyde, a 300,000 cubic-metre reservoir to be built in Foothills County and associated infrastructure.

Construction of the pipeline is underway in Foothills County and workers are installing pipe along 370 Avenue, between Okotoks and Highway 2.

In Okotoks, land clearing and drilling has begun in the Sheep River Valley, with work expected to last until late June. Pathways in the area will remain open during the work, but a disc golf course in the area is closed, the Town said.

The pipeline is expected to be operational next year to support residential and commercial growth in the region, the Town said.

Provincial funding for the project was announced in 2022, and cost increases saw the Province provide about $30 million in total to cover 45 per cent of eligible costs. 

Additional costs are being shared between both municipalities. The Town of Okotoks said there will be no impact to taxpayers, with grants and off-site levies funding the balance of costs.

A groundbreaking for the project was held near the water intake site last October.