Ray Gibbon Drive
Short Term
Ray Gibbon Drive is a key north-south arterial roadway on the west side of St. Albert, serving both a local and regional function. What was originally constructed as a two-lane undivided arterial roadway from Anthony Henday Drive to Villeneuve Road is now a top priority to widen to a four-lane divided cross-section roadway with shared-use paths for pedestrians, cyclists and other active mode users, including streetlight and intersection improvements.
The widening of Ray Gibbon Drive to four lanes is being delivered in four phases:
- South City Limit to the north of LeClair Way (Completed 2020)
- North of LeClair Way to the north of McKenney Avenue (Completed 2023)
- North of McKenney Avenue to the north of Giroux Road (Construction planned for 2025/2026)
- North of Giroux Road to Villeneuve Road/Fowler Way (Construction planned for 2028/2029)
View the Twinning Project Phases Map
Twinning and improving Ray Gibbon Drive will help diversify St. Albert’s economy, enable growth along the corridor, improve transportation efficiency and safety, and reduce traffic congestion.
Follow the Ray Gibbon Drive construction project
Long Term
In the long term, the Province of Alberta envisions Ray Gibbon Drive extending north beyond Villeneuve Road and tying directly into Highway 2 near the Town of Morinville. This would allow Ray Gibbon Drive to serve as an important regional route and relief valve for through-traffic congestion on St. Albert Trail. While identified by the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board as a key improvement within the 2045 horizon, the exact timing of construction is unknown, and further planning and design is required by the City of St. Albert, Sturgeon County and Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors to identify the alignment, roadway standard, right-of-way and intersection requirements.
In addition, the portion of Ray Gibbon Drive between Anthony Henday Drive and Villeneuve Road is currently being protected as a future 8-lane divided freeway with interchanges at LeClair Way, McKenney Avenue, Giroux Road and Villeneuve Road (i.e. future Fowler Way). No additional access is envisioned along this portion of Ray Gibbon Drive.
In 2009, the City of St. Albert completed a planning study for Ray Gibbon Drive as an ultimate freeway. Further planning and design work will be required in the future to confirm interchange requirements based on updated traffic volume projections.
2009 Ray Gibbon Drive Planning Study
The timing for Ray Gibbon Drive becoming a freeway is unknown and will be influenced by available funding and competing priorities, as well as operational and safety needs. However, Ray Gibbon Drive could be upgraded to a six- or eight-lane divided cross-section with at-grade intersections before interchanges are ever introduced. The City will continue to plan for this possibility and monitor operations and safety to identify triggers and the need for further upgrades.Related Pages
Last edited: February 20, 2024