In an Albertan first, Exact Street, a leader in advanced 3D road construction and milling technology, has been selected to deploy its Exact Street 3D Milling System along a major road reconstruction project in Alberta.
The project—located on Highway 12 between Range Road 41 and Range Road 23—marks the first time Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors (ATEC) has tendered a 3D milling initiative. It will be completed by Control Systems, Exact Street’s Canadian subsidiary, in collaboration with local surveying and milling partners. Completion is targeted for summer 2026.
“We’re proud to bring Exact Street’s 3D road-reconstruction technology to Alberta,” said Antonio Bauce, Business Development Director. “Our goal is to help infrastructure owners and contractors deliver higher-quality roads, faster, and with less waste. This is about building smarter, not just building more.”
Unlike traditional “mill-and-fill” methods, where a fixed depth of asphalt is removed and repaved, Exact Street’s 3D milling technology scans the existing road surface to capture millimetre-level detail.
Using its proprietary Optimill software, the company optimizes cross-slope, drainage, surface smoothness, and asphalt thickness to improve performance and longevity. On-site, a digitally guided milling system precisely shapes the road surface to the optimized model, reducing material waste and avoiding over-milling into subgrade layers.
The company reports significant gains from using its 3D milling system: direct cost savings of more than $20,000 per kilometre on standard two-lane highways, a 5 to 50 percent reduction in milled material, and reduced labour requirements by one to two crew members.
The technology also enables 3–5 millimetre accuracy from design specifications, improving the International Roughness Index (IRI) and overall ride quality while achieving demanding crossfall and drainage targets.
The Highway 12 project supports Alberta’s goal of improving infrastructure resilience, sustainability, and cost efficiency. By minimizing asphalt waste and optimizing design through automation, the approach is expected to extend roadway life, reduce environmental impact, and deliver better long-term value for public infrastructure investments.
“This initiative shows how collaboration between public and private sectors can lead to smarter, more sustainable outcomes for Albertans,” added Bauce.
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