Athabasca County is proud to announce the official opening of the new Colinton Bridge on Range Road 222A, a key infrastructure project that has been completed significantly ahead of schedule and under budget. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on June 17th, 2025 to celebrate this major achievement.
Originally projected for completion in mid-October 2025, construction of the bridge was finalized and opened to traffic in early May—over five months ahead of schedule. Despite the complexity of the project and the challenges of replacing an aging structure that had been closed since May 2022, the County successfully managed the project within a cost-effective framework.
“It took longer than any of us wanted, and the road here wasn’t always smooth – but today we finally get to celebrate.” said Athabasca County Reeve Tracy Holland. “This awesome new bridge structure is more than concrete and steel; it’s a symbol of persistence and a commitment to the future of our community.”
At the ribbon cutting, Athabasca County Councillor Natasha Kapitaniuk said, “The patience of our community has been greatly appreciated and being able to open the Colinton Bridge well ahead of schedule is a win for all.”
Throughout the planning process, the County applied multiple times for Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP) funding and advocated to the Government of Alberta to secure financial support. Despite these efforts, the grant was not awarded. Council made the decision to move forward using County reserves to fund the project, recognizing the importance of delivering the bridge without further delay.
The project involved the safe removal of the previous bridge structure, stabilization of the riverbank, and construction of a modern, code-compliant bridge. All work adhered to Alberta Environment’s “Code of Practice for Watercourse Crossings.”
Council and administration also made strategic decisions early in the process—such as advancing preliminary engineering work and proactively allocating funds—to ensure the project could move quickly once approvals were in place.
