Ray Gibbon Drive between Edmonton and St. Albert will be twinned, the province announced on Monday.

Design work on the project is set to being later this year. The expansion project will see eight kilometres of roadway twinned between Anthony Henday Drive and Villeneuve Road.

More than 20,000 vehicles use Ray Gibbon Drive every day, according to the province.

The Alberta government said twinning the road will enhance safety, improve commute times and reduce traffic congestion.

“People need to be able to get where they want to go in a timely, efficient manner,” Transportation Minister Brian Mason said in a news release.

“Widening Ray Gibbon Drive means our roads will be able to handle the growth of communities in St. Albert and the surrounding region. More people are moving here and more businesses are establishing themselves here. This project will help traffic move easier, while creating construction jobs.”

The $54.2-million project will be cost-shared between the government of Alberta and the City of St. Albert. Each level of government has committed $27.1 million to the project.

The province said the project will result in 152 direct jobs.

Construction is expected to start in 2020.

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