Project Update – May 3, 2021
What’s Happening in Traffic This Week
Paving East of Emergency Access to Valley Ridge
This week the contractor will be completing the emergency access road connection to southbound Stoney Trail. The work will take approximately one week, during which time the access to the North project site offices will be via Valley Springs Road N.W.
One lane on the emergency access road will be maintained at all times; emergency access will not be affected.
All work is weather dependent. Please check 511 Albertaand The City of Calgary’s traffic information map for up-to-date information on traffic detours and speed reductions. For all other project information, please visit westringroad.ca.
We appreciate your patience during construction.
Casting Bridge Segments in Place
On the north side of the river, casting the segments in place is ongoing.
Looking down at a concrete truck filling the pumping truck, whose boom arm pumps concrete up to the form traveller for another cast-in-place segment
The view at the top of the bridge with the boom arm pumping concrete into the segment form
South Piers
Each of the piers on the south side of the river is compromised of five lifts (or pours) of concrete, and each lift requires 28 days to cure.
Looking south at bridge pier construction in progress
Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. Interchange
Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall construction has begun on these integral bridge abutments. Integral bridges use Caisson foundations to absorb the expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes, rather than bridge expansion joints and bearings which are costly to install and maintain.
Caisson foundations use corrugated steel pipe (CSP) filled with gravel to surround each pile, allowing them to expand and contract without sacrificing any structural integrity
A closer look at the CSP surrounding each steel pile with the concrete footing for the MSE wall in front
Backfilling for the MSE wall has begun
The height of the retaining wall is achieved by successively installing a row of concrete MSE wall panels, then backfilling
This MSE wall is just north of the one shown above, underneath the newly constructed Trans-Canada Highway bridge
Looking northeast at the interchange under construction
Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. Interchange
Roadwork on the southbound Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. lanes at Valley Ridge Drive N.W. is ongoing. Once this section is tied in, traffic will shift to the outside lanes in both directions so finishing work in the median can be completed.
Looking north at the small section being completed approaching Valley Ridge Drive N.W.
Looking south at grading and compacting the road base
Trans-Canada highway at Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W.
Earthworks and grading continue in the area immediately west of Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. The elevation of the Trans-Canada Highway in this area is being raised.
Looking north at building up the Trans-Canada Highway; the existing bridges over Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. are on the right
Looking southeast at the Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. / Crestmont Boulevard S.W. intersection
Earthworks and Drainage for Bow Trail S.W.
This week construction on Bow Trail S.W., west of 85 Street S.W., gets underway. Topsoil stripping and excavation are the first activities in preparation to install a drainage culvert and begin constructing the pathway underpass.
Work in this area will be ongoing for the 2021 construction season and this section of Bow Trail S.W. will remain closed until project completion.
Adjacent residents will see a significant increase in construction activity within the Transportation Utility Corridor (TUC), including construction equipment working close to homes along the southern TUC boundary. Increased noise, dust and changes to the visual landscape can also be expected. Please visit westringroad.ca > construction for information about work hours and mitigating construction impacts.
Bow Trail S.W. Interchange Construction
Similar to Old Banff Coach Road S.W., the centre pier foundation for the Bow Trail S.W. interchange will also be provided by a spread footing (a wide and shallow structural base to support the centre piers).
A mud slab (curing under the tarps) is a thin layer of concrete that provides a level, dry work area
A crane is ready to ‘fly’ the footing forms into the excavated area
Several forms are in place
Springbank Ravine Drainage Culvert
Looking south at grading and compacting the area for the drainage culvert
The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) culvert pipe segments are fused together by applying heat and force. The fusion machine clamps two segments of pipe, aligns them and then holds them together after the ends have been heated until a fusion joint is created. The pipe is pulled ‘down the pipeline’ and another segment is fused onto the end.
Two lengths of drainage pipe clamped in the fusing machine
Earthworks at 17 Avenue S.W.
Looking west at grading along the new 17 Avenue S.W. alignment
Water trucks are used to control dust and assist with compacting the soil (above and below)
