Southwest Calgary Ring Road
2015-Ongoing | Calgary, AB – The Government of Alberta and the City of Calgary began planning for the Calgary Ring Road in the 1970s. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the province purchased most of the land needed for the transportation utility corridor around Calgary where the ring road would be built. The northwest, northeast, and southeast sections are now in operation – known collectively as Stoney Trail – and motorists now have 70km of free-flow travel.
With the three-quarters of the ring road complete, Alberta Transportation (AT) began preliminary work for the final, southwest section in 2003, knowing that the final leg of the ring road project will further enhance the movement of goods and people in the Calgary area, and will reduce traffic congestion by providing effective routes for commercial vehicles.
The entire Southwest Calgary Ring Road project has been divided into three segments, which includes 31km of freeway with 14 interchanges, railway flyover, 3 river bridges, and a pedestrian bridge. McElhanney’s team is working on Segment 2 with KGL Constructors (a joint venture of Kiewit, Graham, and Ledcor) for the design of 8km of freeway (Highway 201) from 146 Avenue SW to 90th Ave SW, which includes four interchanges: the 146 Avenue SW, the 130 Avenue SW, the Anderson Road SW, and the 90th Avenue SW interchanges.
As civil design consultant for Segment 2, McElhanney is responsible for the detailed design of roadway, drainage, municipal utilities, traffic engineering, traffic management, and detours. Additionally, the team is responsible for engineering survey and guide signing design for the entire SWCRR project. McElhanney’s design scope includes:
- AT RFP concept review and optimization
- Design innovation on roadways and interchanges (entire project)
- Geometrics and Laning detailed design
- Drainage and pond design
- Multi-lane roundabout design
This project includes the detailed design of a 16-lane freeway, 8 of which will be constructed now (4 lanes running in either direction), with the grading completed for the future expansion to an additional 8 lanes.
Once complete, the project will reduce congestion, and greatly improve the movement of goods and people in the Calgary area. The project is expected to be completed in fall 2020.
