Alberta Highway 26

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Highway 26

Route information
Maintained by Alberta Transportation
Length82.0 km[1] (51.0 mi)
Major junctions
West end Hwy 13 in Camrose
Major intersections Hwy 56 near Camrose
Hwy 36 near Viking
East end Hwy 14 near Kinsella
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
Specialized and rural municipalitiesCamrose County, Beaver County
Major citiesCamrose
Highway system
Hwy 25 Hwy 27

Alberta Provincial Highway No. 26, commonly referred to as Highway 26, is an east–west highway in central Alberta, Canada that connects Highway 13 in Camrose to Highway 14 near Kinsella. The route follows 12th Correction Line for its entire length, and does not pass through any communities east of Camrose.

The Highway 26 designation first belonged to a stretch of road near Drumheller. The present-day alignment near Camrose was not commissioned until the 1970s, and in 2009 was extended from Highway 36 to reach the current eastern terminus at Highway 14.

Route description

Highway 26 begins in the eastern outskirts of Camrose where it splits due east from Highway 13, which bends southeast toward Ohaton.[2] Highway 26 proceeds east along the 12th Correction Line,[2][3] first meeting the northern terminus of Highway 56, which prior to 2021 was Highway 834 south.[4] Highways 26 and 834 were concurrent for 5.2 km (3.2 mi) before Highway 834 branches off north to Round Hill. Highway 26 continues east, intersecting Highways 854, 855 and 857. Highway 26 meets Highway 36 approximately 12 km (7 mi) southwest of Viking and the two highways run concurrently for 3 km (2 mi) before Highway 36 turns north into Viking. After leaving Highway 36, the highway continues east to its end at Highway 14, approximately 4 km (2 mi) west of Kinsella.[2][5]

History

The original alignment of Highway 26 was in Kneehill County west of Drumheller. It began at Highway 9 and ran north for 20 km (12 mi), travelling north along present-day Highway 836 to Carbon, then turned west along present-day Highway 575 to its intersection with Highway 21.[6][7] In 1962, Highway 21A was renumbered and absorbed as part of Highway 26,[8][9] resulting in it continuing west along present-day Highway 575 to Acme, then south along present-day Highway 806 to Highway 9 in Beiseker, a total distance of 52 km (32 mi).[7] In 1970, Highway 26 was decommissioned and in subsequent years was renumbered to its current designations.[10][11]

The section of present-day Highway 26 between Camrose and Highway 36 was commissioned in the late 1970s[12] and was incrementally paved throughout the 1980s.[13][14] In 2009, Highway 615 between Highway 36 and Highway 14 was renumbered to become part of Highway 26.[15]

Major intersections

From west to east:[16]

Locationkm[1]miDestinationsNotes
Camrose0.00.0 Hwy 13 (48 Avenue) – Wetaskiwin, Provost
Camrose County5.83.6 Hwy 56 south – StettlerFormer Hwy 834 south
11.06.8 Hwy 834 north – Round Hill, Tofield
23.914.9 Hwy 854 – Ryley, Bawlf
Beaver County36.922.9 Hwy 855 – Holden, Daysland
50.231.2 Hwy 857 north – Bruce
64.139.8 Hwy 36 south – KillamWest end of Hwy 36 concurrency
68.042.3 Hwy 36 north – Viking, Two HillsEast end of Hwy 36 concurrency
82.051.0 Hwy 14 – Edmonton, WainwrightWest of Kinsella
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b Google (January 13, 2017). "Highway 26 in Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "2016 Provincial Highway 1-216 Progress Chart" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. March 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  3. ^ "Alberta's Township System". Alberta Land Surveyors' Association. 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  4. ^ "Renumbering the Portion of Highway 834 Between Highways 13 and 26 To Highway 56" (PDF). Camrose County Outlook. Camrose County: 7. October 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2024. Effective mid-September the 2.5 mile portion of Highway 834 between Highways 13 and 26 was renumbered to Highway 56.
  5. ^ Google (February 1, 2017). "Hwy 14: Hwy 26 to Kinsella, AB" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  6. ^ Department of Public Works (1939). Alberta Official Road Map (PDF) (Map). Government of Alberta. § D-3.
  7. ^ a b Google (February 1, 2017). "Former Highway 26 in Southern Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  8. ^ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Government of the Province of Alberta. 1962. §§ J-7, J-8.
  9. ^ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Government of the Province of Alberta. 1963. §§ J-7, J-8.
  10. ^ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Government of the Province of Alberta. 1970. §§ J-7, J-8.
  11. ^ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Government of the Province of Alberta. 1971. §§ J-7, J-8.
  12. ^ Alberta Business Development and Tourism (1978–1979). Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Government of Alberta. §§ J-6, J-7. {{cite map}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ Travel Alberta (1988). Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Government of Alberta. §§ J-6, J-7.
  14. ^ Travel Alberta (1990). Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Government of Alberta. §§ J-6, J-7.
  15. ^ "Media Release" (PDF). Beaver County. June 2, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ Alberta Road Atlas (2007 ed.). Oshawa, ON: MapArt Publishing Corp. 2008. pp. 65–66. ISBN 978-1-55368-019-2.