Project Update - March 23, 2020 - West Calgary Ring Road

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

We appreciate your patience during construction.

COVID-19

Construction is continuing on the West Calgary Ring Road. Following the Alberta Health Services protocols to limit the spread of COVID-19, our contractors have implemented precautions and additional safe work practices. These measures include social distancing on site and working from home when appropriate.

We will continue to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 on planned work and adapt as necessary to protect the safety of the people working on the project and the public. You can find more information about COVID-19 here.

What’s Happening

No Vehicle Access to Bowness Park and Pathway Closures – April 6 – 20, 2020

The Bowness Park parking lot will be closed from April 6 – 20, 2020, for high volumes of construction vehicles to access the south shore of the Bow River. The pathway west of Stoney Trail connecting Valley Ridge and Bowness Park will be fully closed with no detour available, and no access to the pedestrian bridge to or from the west.

Bowness Park will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists east of Stoney Trail and access to the pedestrian bridge to and from the east will remain open.

This closure is required to build an in-river berm for bridge pier construction. For more details please visit westringroad.ca > Bow River Bridge.

Project Milestone – First Girders Installed

Last week, the North Project reached a major milestone with the installation of the first bridge girders. In total, four girders were erected.

Each girder is about 46.5 metres and weighs approximately 98 tonnes (98,000 kg). A hippopotamus weighs about 2,000 kb, so each girder weighs close to 50 hippos.

Girder on truck going south on Stoney Trail

Speed limit reduction on West Valley Road/101 Street

The speed limit on West Valley Road/101 Street has been reduced from 50 km/h to 40 km/h to accommodate work near the road and construction vehicles crossing. Please remember speeding fines double in construction zones.

Tree & Brush Clearing Nearing Completion

About 90 per cent of the required tree and brush clearing is complete, with full completion on schedule for the end of March. Some clean-up will continue into April.

Some areas not easily accessible by machines, like steep slopes or near fencing, were cleared with hand tools.

Utility Relocations Complete at Old Banff Coach Road SW

Several utilities have been relocated in preparation for construction on the South Project this year. More work will be happening in this area over the next few months as the City of Calgary begins installing a water main.