Residents in Fort Saskatchewan have a new way to cross the North Saskatchewan River following the official opening of the Highway 15 Underslung Pedestrian Bridge on July 31, 2023.
The 330-metre bridge hangs underneath the new highway structure, providing a dedicated and safe path for cyclists and pedestrians to travel between the east side of the river in Fort Saskatchewan and the west side in Sturgeon County. By separating foot and bike traffic from the vehicle lanes above, the bridge offers a secure crossing that was previously unavailable.
This project represents a significant step forward for the Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw, a 100-kilometre trail network that aims to link six municipalities: Devon, Parkland County, Edmonton, Strathcona County, Fort Saskatchewan, and Sturgeon County. With the opening of this crossing, the River Valley Alliance reported that the trail network reached over 70 per cent completion, leaving roughly 25 kilometres of work remaining to finalize the full route.
The bridge is part of a larger highway expansion project approved in 2019, which involved a total investment of $108 million from federal and provincial sources. The specific underslung portion of the bridge, including the connecting trails, cost approximately $5.5 million and was supported by a partnership that included the federal government, Alberta Transportation, and local municipal partners.
The trail itself bears a name gifted by Elder Jerry Saddleback in the Cree language, nêhiyawêwin. Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw, which translates to Beaver Hill Road, is also integrated into the Trans Canada Trail network, further connecting the region to a larger national system of paths.
