Project Update – December 7, 2020
What’s Happening in Traffic This Week
Westbound Trans-Canada Highway
This weekend traffic from southbound Stoney Trail to westbound Trans-Canada Highway was shifted onto the new bridges at Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. Please continue to drive carefully through this area while everyone gets used to the changes.
Looking west at crews placing and compacting Granular Base Course (rock) on the detour road between Stoney Trail and Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. 
Looking west from the southbound Stoney Trail ramp; instead of using the temporary ramp on the left to go westbound on the Trans-Canada, drivers will continue on the new detour road (at right) over the new bridges 
Paving the east approach to the new bridges over Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W.
Upcoming: Westbound Trans-Canada Highway shifted to new bridges
This week, weather permitting, the westbound Trans-Canada Highway lanes will be shifted north onto the new detour road and bridges at Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. The transition won’t require drivers to make any changes.
Looking west from the new bridges over Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W.
Crestmont Boulevard S.W.
It’s almost done! Single-lane alternating traffic will remain in effect this week, but the work requiring this closure is nearing completion and we anticipate opening both lanes before the winter break. Old Banff Coach Road S.W. can be used as an alternate route if you want to avoid this lane closure.
Drilling soil nails along the future Crestmont Boulevard S.W.
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.
First Concrete Pour on Last Pier
The Bow River Bridge team crossed a major milestone this week with the first concrete pour on the final bridge pier. There are four piers in total – two on the north side of the river and two on the south, one of which is the in-river pier.
The southernmost pier for the new bridge is against the south slope
Theme of the Week: Bridge Decks
From forming to pouring, this past week was all about bridge decks.
The bridge deck formwork starts with needle beams hung from ty-back hangers 
Crews unload materials hoisted in by crane 
A view of the intermediate diaphragms and needle beams from below
The first batch of concrete is poured; the truss screed moves back and forth to smooth out the wet concrete and crews finish with hand tools 
The spider-like apparatus is a boom concrete pump with several “arms” or segments being used to reach the desired distance
The deck pour is nearly complete 
And that’s a wrap on the sixth bridge deck poured in 2020
Next Door
Right next to the bridge that just had the deck poured, a reinforced soil slope is nearing completion. This slope will support the on-ramp from westbound Trans-Canada Highway to southbound Stoney Trail.
The reinforced soil slope – or reinforced fill wall as they’re sometimes called – earlier this fall 
Looking southwest, the curved mechanically stabilized earth wall in the background forms part of the loop ramp from westbound Trans-Canada Highway to southbound Stoney Trail 
Looking due south at steps built into the soil slope with the future road alignment through the Paskapoo Slope visible in the background
Bill 21: Alberta’s New Impaired Driving Laws Now in Effect
Bill 21, the Provincial Administrative Penalties Act, took effect on December 1, 2020. In addition to changing the way traffic ticket disputes are handled, the Bill includes tougher impaired driving laws. Impaired drivers could face fines up to $2,000, three-month driver’s license suspensions and 30-day vehicle seizures. A zero-tolerance law has also been introduced for novice and commercial drivers.
More information is available on alberta.ca/making-alberta-roads-safer.