What is this project all about?
The City’s Transportation Department is building an interchange at Macleod Trail and 162 Avenue South. This interchange will be an integral part of The City’s overall transportation network that includes commuters, cyclists, pedestrians, transit users and High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV). The interchange will help to enhance Macleod Trail as a gateway to the City from the provincial highway network, and when complete, motorists will be able to travel Macleod Trail from Lake Fraser Gate to 194 Avenue without going through any traffic lights.
Why is the interchange being built now?
City Council has identified the West Macleod area south of Stoney Trail and west of Macleod Trail as a Priority Growth Area for the City. The interchange will help to facilitate this growth, as well as address existing traffic issues, and coordinate this project with the Alberta Government who is responsible for the construction of the Southwest Ring Road (Stoney Trail).
What are some of the benefits of the interchange?
Construction of the interchange and roadway at this location will:
Will there be impacts to the flow of traffic in the area during construction?
Yes. Construction on this project will result in a number of lane closures and detours. The City will do its best to mitigate these impacts to local businesses and commuting traffic during construction. See below for the construction schedule and 2016 detour plan.
What kind of interchange is being built?
After completing an analysis of the traffic flow at the intersection and evaluating several designs, it was determined that a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) was the most appropriate layout for an interchange at this location. While the Diverging Diamond has been constructed in other parts of the world, this will be the first urban DDI in Canada.
How does the DDI work?
The diverging diamond interchange (DDI) is designed in such a way that the two directions of traffic on 162 Avenue will briefly cross to the opposite side of each other on bridges over Macleod Trail. This allows more effective traffic flow at the signalized intersections within the interchange, and enables left-turning vehicles to proceed without crossing opposing traffic. This design significantly reduces delay and improves efficiency compared to a more traditional diamond interchange.
Check out the videos on the project webpage to see how the interchange will work once it’s completed.
What are the other benefits of the DDI?
Benefits of the DDI include:
Who is doing the work?
What is the budget for this project?
The estimated cost for the project is $68 million.
The City of Calgary is proceeding with the permanent closure of the temporary right-out access onto Macleod Trail from The Boulevard Shopping Centre (which includes businesses such as the Landmark Cinemas and the Superstore).
The right-in access into the shopping centre from southbound Macleod Trail will remain open.
This closure allows crews to continue moving forward on the building of the interchange at Macleod Trail and 162 Avenue by starting the construction of ramps in the area. This is another step within the construction schedule to ensure that the interchange project remains on-track.
The Macleod Trail and 162 Avenue South Interchange project will achieve a major milestone on the weekend of Oct. 15/16 as Macleod Trail becomes a free-flow roadway underneath the partially completed 162 Avenue overpass.
There is still a significant amount of construction to be done as the City moves toward final completion in the fall of 2017 of Canada’s first urban Diverging Diamond Interchange.
The completed south side overpass will handle both east and west traffic over the next 12 months while crews construct the north side overpass. Pedestrian and cyclist access is also provided across Macleod Trail on the new overpass.
While the City is opening Macleod Trail to be free flow, there will be no immediate access for approximately two weeks to eastbound Sun Valley Blvd. and westbound 162 Avenue from southbound Macleod Trail while off-ramp work is completed. The inconvenience of this southbound closure is a necessary part of achieving traffic free-flow on Macleod Trail a year earlier than originally planned.
To learn more, please visit the Project Webpage.
Fall 2015: Completion of Phase 1 construction.
Early 2016 – Fall 2016: Construction of first two bridge / overpass structures.
Fall 2016: Begin Phase 2 of detour construction.
October 16, 2016: Completion and opening of south side overpass – Partial opening of interchange. Macleod Trail becomes free-flow at this location.
October 2016 – Fall 2017: Traffic on 162 Avenue diverted onto the south side overpass. Construction of North side overpass structure and associated utility and roadworks.
Winter 2016 – Fall 2017: Construction of third bridge / overpass structure and associated roadworks.
Fall 2017: Anticipated completion of project.
