Calgary Stoney Trail [Ring Road]

[mersar]

At the pace the NW is going, and the schedule for the NE its quite possible that both will be opening within months of each other (currently NW is fall 2008, and the NE is fall 2009). If there are any more delays on the NW its quite possible that it may be summer 2009 instead. The NE is more likely to be done on time since it is a P3.

[Wooster]

Originally Posted by niwell

As much as I hate Freeways, this is by and large a good thing. Truck traffic really needs to be rerouted around the city, as it 16th avenue is completely unsuited for it. Now all we need is for some major improvements along 16th, including higher densities. I'm thinking it could make a perfect urban boulevard, fronted by low - midrise buildings. The 16th/centre st. intersection has particular potential.

Yeah, I totally agree with this.

[Innersoul1]

I still say bridge over the Weaselhead. There has to be a way of doing this with minimal impact on the area. I am thinking of the Stoney Trail bridge over the Bow right near Bowness, very little impact on the river valley below.

Negotiations and "studies" with Tsu Tina have proved fruitless! It could be forever before that stretch is completed.

[Beltliner]

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

I still say bridge over the Weaselhead. .../It could be forever before that stretch is completed.

If Calgary's winter 2007 economic outlook is any guide, it won't matter all that much if the southwest leg takes a little while. The plan at this stage seems to envision completion of the northeast leg by 2009, and then the southeast leg by 2013. Even if the Stoney Trail Group has an eye to starting the Tsuu T'ina leg straight after finishing the east side of the 201, that's at least six years away. And chances are, they'll try for the extension to Sarcee Trail and the Stoney extension from 16 Avenue to Glenmore first.

That being said, it would be nice to have a little certainty about the route for Sarcee Trail through Tsuu T'ina territory. And between the casino and the big box lands slated for Sarcee and Southland, the Tsuu T'ina have a certain level of incentive for striking a deal. Would that some orbital LRT was being planned as a part of this operation!

[Bad Grizzly]

The NE section getting underway is great news IMO. We should see positive change on 16th ave, once that section is complete.

[Champion3]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

I hope they create a Metis Trail/Airport Trail connection at the same time or sooner. It is silly that you have to drive on what is basically a country road to get up north to Deerfoot or Country Hills from the north-of-McKnight communities.

They're going to need to build a tunnel to carry Airport Trail under the new runway that is going to be built.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by Champion3

They're going to need to build a tunnel to carry Airport Trail under the new runway that is going to be built.

Yes, but it doesn't neccesarily have to be a tunnel now. Perhaps they should do the grading now, and put the road in the right place, ready to be covered up when the runway goes ahead. I imagine it would take a little bit of a different design then regular design.

Either that or build it like a detour road right now, and build the tunnel beside it later, but then of course, you have to pay for building the road twice.

It'll be a long tunnel, but it'll be relatively easy to construct, since it'll be easy to do cut and cover construction, since there is nothing around there, just lots of open space. No expensive long distance soil hauling to do. I wonder how deep they need to make it?

[Jay in Cowtown]

Originally Posted by chuber

This gives those of us from Edmonton heading to Banff (or further into BC) another way of bypassing the city and traffic.

If I were you, I'd get off #2 at the Olds overpass and take #27 west to #22 south then west again at the Cochrane overpass onto #1, when heading to Banff or B.C. from the Chuck... at least untill Stoney's done

[Champion3]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

Yes, but it doesn't neccesarily have to be a tunnel now. Perhaps they should do the grading now, and put the road in the right place, ready to be covered up when the runway goes ahead.

Nonetheless, that isn't City-owned land, and I'm sure the Airport doesn't want the City building a road across their future runway and then failing to bury it when the time comes to build the runway. (Not to mention that there already is jurisdictional squabbling over who should pay for Airport Trail across YYC land.) Then you've got what will presumably be a heavily used expressway that is blocking construction of a runway.

[KrisYYC]

Can somebody answer me this, because I'm not totally sure:

Why is it that these projects seem to take so bloody long in Calgary? LRT expansion, ring road construction, all with seemingly ridiculous time frames. Is it primarliy a funding issue? Other cities with far greater geographical challenges have built entire subway networks etc. in less time.

It just seems to me that while all of these projects are great right now, by the time they're completed it'll be too little too late. I suppose the labour shortage doesn't help either.

Kris

[Boris2k7]

^ It's more political will than anything else. One government would love to pass off some of the work to another government, and vice versa. For example, the City would just love for the province to complete upgrades to Deerfoot before the Ring Road is done and Deerfoot transfers to the City. Road widenings, as useless as they are, buy far more votes than LRT construction (at least that may be the case right now).

[mersar]

Two words: Labour shortage

Thats the primary reason for the delay, funding is secure for the projects that are underway.

[walli]

error .....

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by mersar

Two words: Labour shortage

Thats the primary reason for the delay, funding is secure for the projects that are underway.

Two more words: poor planning.

When the labour was there, the city/province weren't spending a dime. Suddenly, OMG WE NEED TO BUILD STUFF NOW set in - in the middle of the worst labour shortage in Canadian history.

[Doug]

^And when the labor was there, the exisiting infrastructure are more than adequate. Nobody in their wildest dreams expected the city to grow like it has.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Doug

^And when the labor was there, the exisiting infrastructure are more than adequate. Nobody in their wildest dreams expected the city to grow like it has.

Plans for the ring road, LRT expansions, GE5, McKnight free-flow, <<insert project here>> were all on the books years before the current boom.

We may not have expected as much growth, but certainly you're not suggesting that the only reason we need to expand the C-Train is the past couple of years of insanity.

Hell, the WLRT was planned in the 1980s. The areas it will service were built decades ago. There's a big difference between building for the future (which is what should have been done) and maybe going a bit overboard, and completely doing nothing until things get completely out of control (which is what has happened).

[Rob D]

Ring road leaves business owners feeling trapped
Renata D'Aliesio Calgary Herald Thursday, March 29, 2007

A group of Calgary business owners is calling for a redesign of the northeast ring road, contending changes to construction plans will leave them isolated. The owners intend to confront the province and its private partner in the development, the Stoney Trail Group, at an open house today in the centre court of Sunridge Mall. Earlier government plans for the ring road included several access points for businesses and residents along 84th Street N.E. -- the city's eastern boundary.

But late in the fall, Hugh Short of Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment learned those access points had been scaled back, which will force vehicles coming in and out of his business to travel a roundabout route. He's worried this added obstacle will hurt his and other businesses. "There has been no thought about the businesses and residents that this proposal has completely landlocked," he charged Wednesday. "Essentially, they have cut off any link to the city for us."

Plans for the Calgary ring road have been in the works for years, said Jerry Bellikka, spokesman for Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation. He said the province has consulted businesses and city officials extensively, and all aspects of the project have been considered. "We did open houses for three years. We're a little late in the process for a redesign," Bellikka said.
"I'm just surprised those concerns are coming forward now, especially from city hall. "City hall has been on board with this project," said Bellikka. Not all members of city council have been on board with the Alberta government's ring road designs. Every leg of the road being built to ease traffic pressure has been contested.

Mayor Dave Bronconnier has been a strong supporter of the road, which will eventually encircle Calgary and steer traffic away from increasingly congested routes such as Deerfoot Trail and 16th Avenue N. Several alderman, however, have raised concerns about aspects of the plan. Ald. Helen Larocque and Ald. Andre Chabot said Wednesday they share the access concerns of businesses and residents in the northeast.

Construction of this 21-kilometre section of the project is slated to begin next month. Both aldermen continue to seek a redesign. "It's very problematic for those businesses on 84th Street," Larocque said. Bellikka said today's open house, which runs from 2 to 8 p.m. at Sunridge Mall, is part of the province's continuing effort to inform residents of the project. Last month, the Alberta government announced it had reached a public-private partnership agreement to build the northeast leg. Larry Graham, owner of Graham Auctions, said original plans led businesses to believe they would still have access to routes such as McKnight Boulevard and an extended 32nd Street. Once the ring road is built, however, vehicles will no longer be able to reach these roads or the Trans-Canada Highway directly from 84th Street N.E., Graham said.

Chabot said residents of a mobile home park, destined to be sandwiched between the ring road and 84th, are worried about potential delays for emergency workers. Calgary's northeast is home to several sour gas wells.
"When you are talking about EMS, fire and police, seconds matter," Chabot said. "Why should we (the city) be the ones holding the bag?
"We need to look at this longer term."

rdaliesio@theherald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2007

[You Need A Thneed]

^All those businesses there built there knowing the the Ring road would eventually go through, and then there was going to be a lot less traffic on 84th Street. That being said, it's going to be a pain to access 84th street in some places - I've thought that perhaps that they should add a couple of flyovers over the Ring road at Memorial, and perhaps 32nd Ave. Once more development gets going on the east side of the ring road, they are going to want a connection to the rest of the city more often then every 2 miles.

[Deepstar]

Is this ring road really going to be completed by 2009? It seems like wishful thinking to me.
I'm glad to se it's actually getting built though. We need this, and so does 16th ave. I'm hoping for a big improvement to 16th when this is done.

[walli]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

^All those businesses there built there knowing the the Ring road would eventually go through, and then there was going to be a lot less traffic on 84th Street.

I agree completely. The individual businesses are just being selfish about it.