Calgary Stoney Trail [Ring Road]

[Innersoul1]

So here is my question:

|The new overpass at 37th and Glenmore sure went up in a hurry. They used concrete beams (girders) to span Glenmore and placed concrete slabs laterally on those to create the bridge deck. What is the lifespan on a bridge like that? Any reason why this type of construction isn't used in other city applications?

[Oliver Klozov]

The Stage 4 (late August) and Stage 5 (late October) site plans for Stoney/Crowchild are now available on the AB Transp website.

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType490/production/stcrow-ms4.pdf

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType490/production/stcrow-ms5.pdf

Well, they missed on the Stage 4 date - it shows the SB-EB left turn closed and the SB-EB ramp and bridge over Crowchild open.

Stage 5 is interesting. They show Stoney going under Crowchild but both southbound and northbound lanes are on the southbound side. This is probably to better accommodate the EB-NB ramp and tie-in construction. EB Crowchild will become free-flow with lights on WB only for EB-NB left turns onto the temporary ramp.

Stoney will likely remain 60 kph through the area but it is going to be a heck of a lot better to get through there.

[kap384]

[QUOTE=Oliver Klozov;4974465]

Stage 5 is interesting. They show Stoney going under Crowchild but both southbound and northbound lanes are on the southbound side. This is probably to better accommodate the EB-NB ramp and tie-in construction. EB Crowchild will become free-flow with lights on WB only for EB-NB left turns onto the temporary ramp.

QUOTE]



Makes sense based on the crossover lanes they've already paved. I was wondering how exactly they'd be used.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

So here is my question:

|The new overpass at 37th and Glenmore sure went up in a hurry. They used concrete beams (girders) to span Glenmore and placed concrete slabs laterally on those to create the bridge deck. What is the lifespan on a bridge like that? Any reason why this type of construction isn't used in other city applications?

I'm not terribly familiar with the structural side of things, but my thought would be that a single continous pour of a deck has better strength and a better lifespan than the more temporary one we're seeing here.

For the right price, anything can be built quickly though. Just look at the I-35W bridge!

[tmjr]

CALGARY -- The final southwest stretch of the ring road planned to eventually encircle the city will not be approved if government proposals are unacceptable to the community, according to a local MLA.

On Saturday, Calgary-Elbow MLA Alison Redford addressed a group of about 300 local residents opposed to constructing the stretch of highway.

On behalf of the minister of transportation, Redford said: "This is not intended to hurt this community . . . . If the community doesn't agree with where we go, then we don't do it."

After the meeting, a spokesperson for Redford said the intent was to assure residents they would be consulted during the process and that unacceptable proposals would not go forward.

A spokesperson for Transportation Minister Luke Ouellette confirmed the government would not push a proposal that was denounced by the community.

Community given veto in ring road plan

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by tmjr

Community given veto in ring road plan

FACEPALM!

[MalcolmTucker]

This is a good thing however:

Redford said the province is still willing to negotiate with residents on the nearby reserve if they come forward with a proposal.

Read more: Herald

[Mazrim]

Good to see that 300 residents will block pretty much any proposal then. They might approve a 2 lane 50km/h road, though!

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

Good to see that 300 residents will block pretty much any proposal then. They might approve a 2 lane 50km/h road, though!

With traffic calming humps.

[YYCguys]

The Herald article mentions that there's 40 m between the Lakeview houses and the Tsuu Tina land border. What level of ring road could be built in that space without disturbing any of the houses (ie: number of lanes, maximum speed, curbs/shoulders, interchanges, stacked or surface, etc)?

[MalcolmTucker]

^ Well, considering a number of houses front on the road already there, any impact would be atrocious for building above ground. With the structure that would be needed I would think people would rather get a buy out!

To be functional while leaving all the current houses I would imagine a stacked elevated road would be needed. With giving communities veto over the process (the PCs can't afford to drop a single seat during the next election) I don't think anything will be built until there is a new government, a deal, or so much pressure a tunnel is built.

[Mazrim]

Talking an absolute minimum cross section here (Shoulders, 4 lanes, median barrier), you're looking at 24.8m before ramps, interchanges and so on.
2.5 + 3.7 + 3.7 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3.7 + 3.7 + 2.5 is what I'm thinking. Then you need to add in about 4-6m on either side for clearance, pushing us to 36.8m. If you want to see this cross section in action at 100km/h, go to Kicking Horse Canyon through the newly built section. It's pretty tight and people are understandably not racing through it.

[Seadood]

Harvest Hills interchange looks to be nearing completion. How do the approaches look? It was dark when I drove it, but I could see the ramps were paved and painted.

[mersar]

Last time I was through there it looked like it was mostly bridge deck work remaining, the ramps looked pretty much ready. Similar over at Crowchild for the SB to EB ramp, the bridge looked like its the main thing left on that particular ramp, all the approaches have been paved and painted and its just a matter of that bridge being ready for them to open stage 4.

[Seadood]

Originally Posted by mersar

Last time I was through there it looked like it was mostly bridge deck work remaining, the ramps looked pretty much ready. Similar over at Crowchild for the SB to EB ramp, the bridge looked like its the main thing left on that particular ramp, all the approaches have been paved and painted and its just a matter of that bridge being ready for them to open stage 4.

Exactly how long has Crow/Stoney been torn up? 5 years?

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by Seadood

Exactly how long has Crow/Stoney been torn up? 5 years?

That's about right. I believe construction started in 2005. That's just ot that particualr intersection though. Stoney has been under construction in one form or another between Country Hills Blvd and Hwy #1 since I moved to Calgary in 1997.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by lubicon

Stoney has been under construction in one form or another between Country Hills Blvd and Hwy #1 since I moved to Calgary in 1997.

And Crowchild - you once posted an interesting list/timeline that described 11-12 years of near-continuous construction on Crowchild. Thankfully we might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel?

[Seadood]

Originally Posted by freeweed

And Crowchild - you once posted an interesting list/timeline that described 11-12 years of near-continuous construction on Crowchild. Thankfully we might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel?

Don't count on it. The second Crow/Stoney is finished the LRT will be tying things up.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Seadood

Don't count on it. The second Crow/Stoney is finished the LRT will be tying things up.

Maybe by time the LRT makes it's way past Stoney, the rumblings of a 12 Mile Coulee interchange will start...

[bookermorgan]

Stoney - Harvest Hills/Centre IC