Project Update

July 21, 2023

What’s Happening in Traffic

Bow River Regional Pathway Closure

The pathway on the south side of the Bow River under Stoney Trail remains closed due to flood damage.

Recent storms have washed away some sections of the pathway

All work is weather dependent. Please check 511 Alberta and The City of Calgary’s traffic information map and pathways & bikeways map for information about detours and closures. For all other project information, please visit westringroad.ca.

We appreciate your patience during construction.


Bridge Rehabilitation Underway

Both northbound and southbound Stoney Trail traffic have been shifted to the new bridge and work to rehabilitate the northbound bridge has begun. Rehabilitation on the original bridge, constructed in 1997, includes replacing the expansion joints, repairing the concrete deck and approach slabs, applying a new layer of waterproofing and re-paving.

Major bridges have an expected life of about 75 years, depending on location, use and design, but require proper maintenance to reach that age. Bridge rehabilitation starts with detailed inspections to identify any damage and assess the material condition (for example, testing the compressive strength of the concrete), and then repairs to address wear and / or damage. Sometimes, rehabilitation can include strengthening or upgrading elements to match existing standards of service or to extend the service life of the bridge.

Northbound and southbound traffic are using the new bridge while rehabilitation on the original northbound bridge (to the right) is completed
Asphalt is removed from the original bridge to access the concrete deck underneath

Rip Rap

Rip rap (or riprap) is the term used to describe large rock (or other material – most often concrete) placed along a shore or slope to prevent or reduce erosion. The British refer to riprap as ‘rock armor’, or you could think of it as rip(w)rapping. Riprap protects against erosion by slowing down water and acting as a filter to catch debris like leaves and twigs.

The phrase ‘rip rap’ is thought to have evolved from a nautical term meaning ‘a stretch of rippling water’.

Rip rap is used extensively in stormwater management and can be seen all over the North project site.

A rip rap ‘apron’ at the bottom of a drainage trough slows down stormwater runoff before it continues in the median
A culvert under Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. directs runoff into a drainage channel lined with geotextile and rip rap
Rip rap is used on the slope along 109 Street S.W. to slow and filter water before it enters a stormwater pipe

Overnight Concrete Pours

Overnight bridge deck pours continue on the Highway 8 flyover. It will take six separate concrete pours to form the 3000 square metre bridge deck.

A concrete pump truck and temporary lighting are set up on the bridge deck below the flyover in preparation for a deck pour
A view of the concrete pump arms from the bridge deck

Stoney Trail Median Hydroseeding

Some sections of the Stoney Trail median between Old Banff Coach Road and Bow Trail S.W. have been hydroseeded.

Hydroseed is a mixture containing fertilizer, mulch and plant seeds that is sprayed onto topsoil
Erosion control mats made of straw and polypropylene are placed on top of the seeded median