Project Update – March 9, 2020

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For up-to-date information on traffic detours and speed reductions, please visit 511 Alberta.

We appreciate your patience during construction.

Tired Drivers = Impaired Drivers

Did you know driving while fatigued is comparable to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Like drugs and alcohol, fatigue is a form of impairment that affects our ability to drive safely. It slows reaction time, decreases awareness and impairs judgement. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has identified some early warning signs you might be too tired to drive:

  • Frequent yawning or blinking
  • Travelling through intersections, making lane changes or arriving at your destination and having difficulty remembering how you arrived
  • Missing exits or turns
  • Drifting from your lane or hitting a rumble strip

Shift workers, commercial drivers and drivers with untreated sleep disorders are at a higher risk of driving impaired due to fatigue. Take care of yourself, your passengers and other drivers by getting at least seven hours of sleep each night and avoiding medications or substances that can make you drowsy. If you think you might be too tired to drive, consider public transportation, taxis or other modes of transportation.

The Monday after Daylight Saving Time can be a groggy one, with people often reporting feeling more tired than usual. Be cautious while driving today and enjoy the extra hour of sunlight in the evening!

Pathway Closure in Bowness Park

The southern section of the paved regional pathway between the parking lot and the Stoney Trail bridge is closed until the project is complete in 2022. Crews have installed a chain link fence on the north side of the pathway to provide a construction access to the south shore of the river.

The trail along the southern edge of the park next to the lagoon remains open, and people can still access the pedestrian bridge over the river. Please watch for signage and construction vehicles in the area.

Please check The City of Calgary’s Pathway Closures Map for more details.

What’s Happening

This week, work on the north shore piers continues with concrete placement and rebar installation.

On the south shore, construction is proceeding on the timber retaining wall for the new pathway (please see the project web page for details). Crews will also be mobilizing a piling rig to install piles for a retaining wall.

North Project

Bridges 101

Bridges date back to ancient civilizations and have made human advancement possible. They serve a critical function in modern societies too, allowing people and goods to move efficiently across mountains, rivers, wetlands and of course, other roads. There are many types of bridges with varying components. Below is a diagram of the components of a typical bridge structure on the West Calgary Ring Road.

What’s Happening

Bridge work is ongoing on both the Valley Ridge Blvd NW / Trans-Canada Highway and Stoney Trail / Trans-Canada Highway interchanges.

  • Looking west at west abutment on Valley Ridge Blvd NW interchangeLooking east at both abutments on basketweave bridge south of Valley Ridge Circle NWLooking west at west abutment on Valley Ridge Blvd NW interchange
  • Looking east at both abutments on basketweave bridge south of Valley Ridge Circle NW
  • Looking east at the second Stoney Trail bridge over the Trans-Canada Highway

Tree & Brush Clearing Along the Trans-Canada Highway

This week, some trees and brush will be cleared along the south side of the Trans-Canada Highway (within the Alberta Transportation right-of-way) between Old Banff Coach Road and Valley Ridge Blvd NW, in preparation for the upcoming reconstruction on Highway 1. This work is expected to take one full day once crews have mobilized to site and be complete on or before March 13.

Controlled Blasting

Your next opportunity to speak with the project team and understand more about the controlled blasting is this Wednesday, March 11, from 5 – 7 pm at WinSport’s Markin McPhail Centre(151 Canada Olympic Rd SW).

If you have questions about blasting or are concerned about damage to your home, please email wcrrblasting@explotech.com. The project team will respond in one business day.

Tree & Brush Clearing Continues

With five mulchers working on the job, tree and brush clearing is progressing quickly and is approximately 60 per cent complete. This is good news as construction of the South Project will be starting later this construction season.

  • The mulched trees and brush are left on the ground and valuable organic material is more easily returned to the soil.

Today and tomorrow (March 9 and 10), traffic on 17 Avenue SW near 101 Street SW will be stopped for approximately five minutes each day to allow for equipment to cross. Please stay alert in this area, obey signage and give crews space to work.