Project Update - September 28, 2020 - West Calgary Ring Road

Have Questions?

We’ve recently received a few public inquiries requesting information and updates for areas that fall outside the boundaries of the West Calgary Ring Road (WCRR) project. Both the WCRR and the Southwest Calgary Ring Road (SWCRR) are Alberta Transportation projects, but they are managed separately with different contracts.

This newsletter is intended to keep you informed about the WCRR (shown in orange). If you have questions about the SWCRR (shown in navy blue), please visit swcrrproject.com.

What’s Happening in Traffic This Week

Crestmont Boulevard S.W. (map below) – Single lane alternating traffic remains in effect.

Canada Olympic Drive S.W.– Remains closed with temporary alternative access available through the east parking lot off Canada Olympic Drive S.W. Crews are working to have the road re-opened to traffic by the end of the week.

All work is weather dependent. Please check 511 Alberta and The City of Calgary’s traffic information map for up-to-date information on traffic detours and speed reductions.

We appreciate your patience during construction.

Dry Pond Construction

Placing the clay liner for the dry pond being constructed west of Stoney Trail, just south of the Bow River. A dry pond is a drainage feature that can help reduce surface flooding.

Milestone Deck Pour

Last week the first bridge deck was poured for the new bridge, marking a significant milestone in the project.

With the deck poured, the concrete slab is covered with insulated curing blankets to maintain optimal moisture and protect the concrete while it cures

August Progress Snapshot

After an exceptionally wet June and July that brought a whopping 253mm of rain, the pendulum swung the other way and this August was one of the driest on record. Only 15mm of rainfall was recorded for the entire month!

The good weather is reflected in the number of hours the team was able to work – 75,204 as compared with 67,157 hours in June and 61,403 hours in July.

24 Hour Work Continuing on Valley Ridge Blvd. N.W. Interchange

Last week, crews began working 24 hours a day backfilling either side of the temporary bridge to connect it to the new bridge. Starting Wednesday, September 30, crews will again be working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to complete the earthwork required for the detour configuration shown below.

Once the detour is in place, the basketweave bridge and dedicated ramps will reduce congestion getting in and out of Valley Ridge and Crestmont for the duration of construction. This will also allow the new Trans-Canada bridge construction to continue through the winter. Earthwork and paving cannot be completed in winter conditions, so finishing this work before the colder weather arrives is critical.

We anticipate this overnight work to continue for approximately two weeks, until mid-October. Working continuously for a short duration will help alleviate the traffic delays caused by limiting the work to daytime hours.

The work will require excavators, trucks dumping fill, bulldozers and packers for grading, pavers and rollers to lay the asphalt, and back-up beepers to ensure the safety of our crew members. To reduce the disruption, the haul trucks will be loaded with the required fill material elsewhere and brought to site via the highway. Lights for the work area will be pointed away from nearby homes as much as possible.

The decision to proceed with night work has been carefully considered. The contractor and Alberta Transportation recognize the impacts to residents and determined completing the work as quickly as possible was of the most benefit. We sincerely thank you for your patience.

New Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. Roundabout to Open

The roundabout at Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W., along with its various approaches and exits, is looking spiffy with its freshly laid asphalt. We anticipate shifting traffic to the new roundabout and road alignment this week.

Looking north from the new roundabout at the realigned Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W.

The red concrete circling the roundabout is a truck apron. In Alberta, truck aprons are standard on roundabouts to help long vehicles safely navigate the turn. The aprons are designed to support the additional weight of a large truck’s rear wheels.

Looking northwest at the exit ramp from westbound Trans-Canada Highway connecting to Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. via the roundabout

Another Wet Pond Taking Shape

Pond 7 is one of two wet ponds located just north of West Valley Road S.W. A wet pond captures and temporarily retains stormwater long enough for some of the sediments and pollutants to settle out, helping to return cleaner water to our rivers and streams through the stormwater system.

Looking east at crews placing and compacting the clay liner for the pond

Installing a stormline to connect Pond 7 to the underground drainage system

Please Keep Out of the Construction Zone

Work on the South project is underway and residents can expect to see a significant increase in construction activity within the Transportation Utility Corridor (TUC). Everything within the TUC is now an active construction zone.

There are several informal pathways crossing the TUC between Aspen Woods and West Springs that will be fenced off in the near future and should not be used at any time. Please stay out of this area, even if there doesn’t appear to be any work happening. Entering the TUC is considered trespassing. Public and worker safety is the top priority.

Thank you for helping to keep everyone safe.

Stockpile Next to Aspen Woods

Earthworks for the Bow Trail S.W. interchange are underway. Crews will be using bulldozers, scrapers and backhoes to remove topsoil as part of grading the area for the future road. The topsoil will be temporarily stockpiled along the northwestern boundary of Aspen Woods for future use.

During topsoil removal and stockpiling, adjacent residents may find construction equipment coming close to their homes. While at times disruptive, this will be temporary and confined to the TUC.

This work will continue for approximately two weeks before stopping for winter, and then resume again next spring when the weather turns favourable for earthworks. The stockpile is anticipated to be approximately six metres tall and about 10 metres from adjacent properties.

Wetland Removal in Springbank Ravine

In October 2020, the existing wetland in the Springbank Ravine will be removed to facilitate ring road construction. The wetland traverses the TUC in the area of the Bow Trail S.W. interchange and cannot be avoided. To provide a stable foundation for the highway infrastructure in this area, the wetland will be excavated and replaced with suitable material.

The Alberta Wetland Policy is in place to conserve, restore, protect and manage Alberta’s wetlands to sustain their environmental, social and economic benefits. Activities that may impact a wetland are expected to follow the mitigation hierarchy by first avoiding, and then minimizing and reclaiming impacts to wetlands. As a last resort, where avoidance and minimization efforts are not feasible, a replacement fee may be paid for the permanent loss of the wetland area and relative wetland value.

The Government of Alberta received Water Act approval to pay a compensation fee to remove the wetland. This compensation fee was paid by the Government of Alberta (ahead of the South project contract being awarded) to Ducks Unlimited Canada, an authorized wetlands replacement agent.