TAMRMS#: B05
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BUDGET INFORMATION REQUEST (BIR) - Fowler Way Capital Project Charter (ENGS-073)
Requested by: Councillor Clark
Date of Request: November 17, 2025
Date Response Due: November 21, 2025
Confidential: No
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QUESTION
recommendation
Please advise of the benefits and/or risks of accelerating this capital project to commence in 2026 with the detailed planning and design in anticipation of commencing the building of Fowler Way in 2028 or sooner.
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RESPONSE
For background, the current project timelines for Fowler Way are:
- 2023 - 2027: 60% Design, Permitting and Approval, and Land Acquisition.
- 2028 - Detailed Design
- 2030 - 2032: Construction
Please note - this is a corrected timeline from what was communicated in Charter ENGS-073: Fowler Way within the ‘Timeline’ section of the charter.
At this time, Administration does not recommend any adjustment (acceleration) to the scheduling of Fowler Way based on the following:
1. Administration is nearing completion of 60% detailed design, which is being used to inform on the required land acquisition. Although successful acquisition of road right of way has occurred for some segments of the corridor, timelines for land acquisition are difficult to predict as it is dependent on a landowner’s willingness to sell and reaching consensus on price. Administration is actively engaging with impacted landowners to purchase the necessary road right-of-way; however, if agreement cannot be reached, expropriation is required. The expropriation process can be lengthy and may take two or more years to complete.
a. Currently, Council has approved expropriation to secure the necessary road right-of-way from one parcel along Fowler Way, but additional expropriations may be required.
2. With Fowler Way being an approximate $50M capital project and the City facing significant short-term financial demands from multiple competing priority projects within the debt limits, the timing and financial impact of Fowler Way is critical. As an Offsite Leviable project, it is also linked to cost recovery for the City as a front ender and partners within the development community.
a. As part of the Mobility Choices Strategy that is currently being prepared, traffic forecasting and modelling of the transportation network is being undertaken, which includes sensitivity analysis of estimated impacts on the transportation network with and without Fowler Way.
b. This transportation network modelling will be finalized in Q1 2026 and will provide greater clarity on both the benefits achieved and the timing of need for Fowler Way, as well as its level of priority in comparison to other significant transportation projects.
3. When initially constructed, Fowler Way will connect directly into Ray Gibbon Drive forming one contiguous route, which has the potential to relieve some traffic pressures on St. Albert Trail; however, with the extents of corridor commercial development along St. Albert Trail, traffic volumes on St. Albert Trail are anticipated to remain high with or without Fowler Way.
a. At this time, Administration does not have a quantified estimate of the benefit Fowler Way will have on St. Albert Trail traffic; however, this would be an output of the traffic forecasting and modelling anticipated in Q1 2026.
In conclusion, administration would be adjusting the project timelines based on the outcome of the above items and would incorporate it into the updated charter in future years.
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Report Date: November 17, 2025
Author(s): Dean Schick
Department: Engineering
Department Director: Dawny George
Managing Director: Adryan Slaght
Chief Administrative Officer: William Fletcher