Calgary Area Highways

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by the.tru.albertan

Hwys. 2, 2A and 72 (upgrade diamond interchange). Seems to be par for the course for AB Transportation. They don't want the tight radius loops that full/partial cloverleafs have. Diamonds are just all around safer, dare I say, calmer? I'd be surprised if they are keeping any form of a cloverleaf there.

You sure about that? They have built and continue to build parclos by the bucketload, it's pretty standard. Not a big deal either way IMO, but interesting that they would technically downgrade an interchange, it looks like there is space to me but sometimes it can be deceiving.

I agree it's fascinating poring over their plans. There is actually 'plans' for a pretty substantial and impressive network of freeways and bypasses of all the places you would realistically put them, but they look like 50+ year timeframes. Still good to know the provincial government has foresight (I don't have the same praise for the city...).

[RyLucky]

Traffic speeds through town on 22A will probably increase, which I suppose is fine. A town growing as fast as Cochrane ought to make sure they have a pleasant bike/ped crossing at the interchange.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by Acey

This is what I was told in response to an inquiry I made to AB Trans about the 2/53 interchange; it suggests the plans will be similar for the other clovers on QE2.

That's good info, thanks. But this seems strange, am I missing something obvious? I totally understand going form full clovers to partial, but I thought the partial ones were fine, which is why they are pretty much the default interchange in Canada. Maybe because this is an old interchange with tighter loops, and it's easier to just get rid of them than increase the radius?

[the.tru.albertan]

Originally Posted by milomilo

You sure about that? They have built and continue to build parclos by the bucketload, it's pretty standard. Not a big deal either way IMO, but interesting that they would technically downgrade an interchange, it looks like there is space to me but sometimes it can be deceiving.

I agree it's fascinating poring over their plans. There is actually 'plans' for a pretty substantial and impressive network of freeways and bypasses of all the places you would realistically put them, but they look like 50+ year timeframes. Still good to know the provincial government has foresight (I don't have the same praise for the city...).

I'm not totally 100% on it. I understand how you think it's a downgrade. However, from my perspective, they remove clovers and put in diamonds. I'm mainly a rural QEII driver, so I don't have much knowledge on what they are doing with the ring roads and what not in the big cities.

From my perspective, AB Trans seems to like diamonds around here. QEII/32nd St (Red Deer) was built as a diamond. QEII/11A was a clover and is now a diamond. I think 597/QEII was a parclo and is now a diamond. QEII/12 was a clover, now a diamond. QEII/53 will be a diamond. QEII/72 will be a diamond.

I'm hoping for a diverging diamond at 67th St. Red Deer and QEII at some point. That would be cool.

[dmuzika]

Bumping an old thread, but does anyone know if there are any plans for an alternate route between Airdrie and Calgary? Airdrie is over 70K and Hwy 2 is still the only commuter route into Calgary, where a single incident can create major delays. As a comparison, Sherwood Park has 3 routes while Spuce Grove/Stony Plain have 2 routes into Edmonton. I'm not thinking a second freeway, just a 4-6 roadway. Maybe an extension of Dwight McLennan/Metis Trail?

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

Bumping an old thread, but does anyone know if there are any plans for an alternate route between Airdrie and Calgary? Airdrie is over 70K and Hwy 2 is still the only commuter route into Calgary, where a single incident can create major delays. As a comparison, Sherwood Park has 3 routes while Spuce Grove/Stony Plain have 2 routes into Edmonton. I'm not thinking a second freeway, just a 4-6 roadway. Maybe an extension of Dwight McLennan/Metis Trail?

It would be convenient for sure. North of Cross Iron, DMT turns into RR293 which is flanked by acreages on both sides and terminates within the acreage community itself. Currently there’s a sign at the entrance to the community that basically says”through traffic is not welcome so piss off”. So I would scratch that road off the idea list. Another idea would be to connect DMT to RR292 just to the west of “McDonald Lake”. That would bring you just to the east of Airdrie on Yankee Valley Blvd.

For the west side of Airdrie, I wouldn’t bet on 8th street/RR11 being widened anytime soon. Land acquisition has been stymied again and again. I think the Airdrie transportation plans talks about 24th street becoming a transit corridor in the future, so maybe there can be a way to connect it to the Harvest Hills Blvd/Centre Street corridor.

[Rollerstud98]

Further to the west we have the 772 which turns in to symons valley road.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Rollerstud98

Further to the west we have the 772 which turns in to symons valley road.

Is that perhaps too far west to be considered a convenient secondary access from Airdrie into Calgary?

[Rollerstud98]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

Is that perhaps too far west to be considered a convenient secondary access from Airdrie into Calgary?

Depends how bad the backup is, and also depends how far west in town you live.

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

Bumping an old thread, but does anyone know if there are any plans for an alternate route between Airdrie and Calgary? Airdrie is over 70K and Hwy 2 is still the only commuter route into Calgary, where a single incident can create major delays. As a comparison, Sherwood Park has 3 routes while Spuce Grove/Stony Plain have 2 routes into Edmonton. I'm not thinking a second freeway, just a 4-6 roadway. Maybe an extension of Dwight McLennan/Metis Trail?

There was a North Calgary Regional Transportation Study presented about two years ago that had a number of improvements between Airdrie and Calgary rated highly and targeted for 2028 or earlier.



https://pub-airdrie.escribemeetings....ocumentId=6731

[Rollerstud98]

Number 2 has started, moving a long nicely right now.

[craner]

Yep
http://https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/construction-begins-on-83m-qeii-interchange-project-near-airdrie-1.5405963