Surface repairs on the Highway 40 bridge over the Smoky River north of Grande Cache began on Aug. 17. Traffic has been reduced to one lane and the speed limit has been reduced to 50 km/h. Repairs should be completed by Aug. 21, weather permitting. Motorists are asked to use caution in the area and obey all signs and flag persons. Load restrictions have not changed.
 

Construction work at the intersection of Highway 2 and Township Road 723 north of Grande Prairie will start Aug. 23. The work will include installing signal lights and adding double left turning lanes for north and southbound traffic.
 

Surface repairs on the Highway 40 bridge over the Smoky River north of Grande Cache, originally scheduled for completion Aug. 21, will continue until Sept. 14, weather permitting. Traffic has been reduced to one lane and the speed limit has been reduced to 50 km/h. Motorists are asked to use caution in the area and obey all signs and flag persons. Load restrictions have not changed.
 

Enforcers of the province’s commercial vehicle safety laws and standards are seeking law enforcement re-accreditation from an agency that is a world leader in that area.
 

The province, with support from the City of Edmonton, Capital Health and community agencies, will close tent city September 15.
 

Work has begun on the Grande Prairie bypass with the start of construction on the new two lane Highway 43 bridge over Highway 2 at a cost of $5.2 million.
 

Motorists travelling north and south on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway at Innisfail can expect a short delay early Friday morning. At approximately 3 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 31, the highway will be closed to traffic in both directions to allow for the removal of overhead power lines. The work should take less than 20 minutes to complete.
 

The Battle River Regional Division is receiving $10 million for the modernization of Camrose Composite High School. This provincial funding is part of a $97-million school infrastructure investment that includes 17 school projects across Alberta.
 

A new interchange will provide a safer and more efficient connection for motorists using Highways 1, 9, and 797.
 

Traffic is back to normal on the northern portions of the Deerfoot Trail as a major paving project wrapped up early on the morning of August 30.
 

Alberta Energy Minister Mel Knight will promote Alberta’s energy sector when he travels to Anchorage, Alaska January 2 and 3, 2009 for the state’s 50th anniversary celebration. During the two-day mission, Knight will meet with Alaska government officials to discuss issues of energy development and continued opportunities for collaboration.
 

Albertans will save approximately $35 on their January gas bill, thanks to the Natural Gas Rebate program.
 

Alberta Agri-Ethanol Company Limited of Two Hills, Alberta received a $4,000 penalty after pleading guilty to failing to comply with a Water Act enforcement order. George Serna, a director of the company, also plead guilty and was sentenced to a $3,000 fine or 45 days in jail.  

In October 2003, the Government of Alberta initiated a comprehensive investigation of the company’s site after a number of complaints from neighbouring landowners. Alberta government experts concluded that the land would have to be restored to its natural condition.     

 

Alberta Environment has issued a River Freeze-up Advisory for the Peace River at the Town of Peace River. This is a routine advisory.

As the Peace Region’s short-term weather forecast is for below-seasonal temperatures, it is expected that the ice cover could advance into the Town of Peace River this weekend. There is potential for ice movements and shifting of the ice cover as it advances upstream which could result in rapid fluctuations in water levels in this area.

 

Bay City, Mich. - The U.S. Border Patrol will hold a recruiting and hiring event in Bay City, Michigan Saturday, January 10, at the Double Tree Hotel at 600 Saginaw St. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Border Patrol is continuing to expand its recruiting and hiring efforts and is looking to identify candidates wanting to work in law enforcement protecting our nation's borders. (more)
 

VANCOUVER -- The Port of Vancouver could be on the verge of boiling over -- again.
 

Laval, Que. -- Michelin North America (Canada) will increases prices by up to 5 percent on its own truck tire brands and by up to 6 percent on BFGoodrich brand commercial truck replacement tires sold in Canada.
 

IRVINE, Calif -- Add one more to the SCR bandwagon. Isuzu Commercial Truck of America announced that it intends to use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to achieve the 2010 standards for emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by diesel engines.
 

WASHINGTON -- The number of dangerous truck drivers on North American highways continues to fall, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and its U.S. and Canadian partners.