Border Road to close next year

Posted on September 26, 2025 by admin

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Border Road, which runs east from Coutts/Milk River and dips into the U.S. in several places, will  be closed to local Canadian traffic next year.

“We have been informed there are border security concerns and that in order for the U.S. Border Patrol to allocate resources more effectively, the road will be closed to Canadian traffic,” said County of Warner Reeve Randy Taylor.

The timing of the closure of the Border Road, Reeve Taylor says, will be up to the U.S. Border Patrol. 

“We were informed it could be as early as July 1, 2026, but we are optimistic that the road will remain open until the time a replacement road can be finished,” said Reeve Taylor. “Residents have been contacted and there is a plan in place to move forward.”

Fortunately, Reeve Taylor says, the County is actively in the process of creating a replacement road on the Canadian side of the border and so far, the County has worked with engineers and landmen to start the process of engineering and land purchasing. 

“We are waiting on official documentation regarding the monetary commitment of the Province so the next steps can be taken,” said Reeve Taylor. “Border Road is the only access to several houses and several parcels of farmland in Canada. Closing the road without a replacement road would leave Canadians unable to access their own homes, in addition to hampering access for emergency services and industry.

Border Road, Reeve Taylor says, has been used by both U.S. and Canadian residents to access land in the area for many decades. The road itself, Taylor says, is on the U.S. side of the border until it splits and veers north about eight miles east of Coutts. 

“Toole County, Mont. and the County of Warner have worked together closely over the years to maintain and upgrade the road,” said Reeve Taylor. “We appreciate the importance of border security, and while we wish there had been a cooperative solution to strengthening security without the need for an urgent and costly infrastructure project, we are focused on ensuring our local residents continue to have access to their homes and land at this point.”