Calgary Stoney Trail [Ring Road]

[MalcolmTucker]

Nah, definitely on hold due to the federal election. The contribution agreement would absolutely give feds control on coms here.

[milomilo]

If you're really bothered about it being the same name all round, just call it highway 201.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Nah, definitely on hold due to the federal election. The contribution agreement would absolutely give feds control on coms here.

Fair enough. Then I would expect things to be moving forward shortly behind the scenes.

[craner]

^Sure hope so.

[DoubleK]

French, Spanish and German principals. How times have changed... At one time, I would have been shocked not to see SNC's name on the list.

[CorporateWhore]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

French, Spanish and German principals.

All 3 countries have amazingly good highways. I wish we could just let them build all our roads, ha. Actually, I wish we could adopt EU road/signage standards period.

[MalcolmTucker]

A little over a month from now we should get a mini-update to the capital project list, and in the spring there should be a full revamp.

[J-D]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I am so happy that *most* of Stoney Trail has been and will be greenfield construction with a couple exceptions.

I had the misfortune of being on AHD in Edmonton earlier this week. What an absolute gongshow from Whitemud North.

I have some mixed opinions on that, but I really only use the SE portion. The road itself is fantastic but so many of the connections are pitiful! Most of the blame falls on the city and not the province, but still.

[YYCguys]

Indeed, there are some weird connections. Illogical road connections include Stoney and Metis (Metis north to Stoney east is a left hand turn off of Metis, for example, whereas one would expect to exit right off of Metis onto Stoney east) and in order to access 14th street northbound off of Stoney when headed east, one has to exit at Centre and loop back around (although I am sure it will be be only a matter of time until that overpass is built, right? Although I am not really holding my breath that it will be done soon or even quickly when it does get started as they have been farting around with the Beddington/Stoney exit for what seems a really long time for what expanded benefit?).

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

French, Spanish and German principals. How times have changed... At one time, I would have been shocked not to see SNC's name on the list.

There are tons of subs not shown in the lists. I'm sure buried in the design teams are the same major firms that participated on the other ring road projects.

Originally Posted by YYCguys

Indeed, there are some weird connections. Illogical road connections include Stoney and Metis (Metis north to Stoney east is a left hand turn off of Metis, for example, whereas one would expect to exit right off of Metis onto Stoney east)

It may be illogical, but it was necessary to achieve the appropriate weaving distance on Stoney between Metis and Deerfoot.

[J-D]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

Indeed, there are some weird connections. Illogical road connections include Stoney and Metis (Metis north to Stoney east is a left hand turn off of Metis, for example, whereas one would expect to exit right off of Metis onto Stoney east) and in order to access 14th street northbound off of Stoney when headed east, one has to exit at Centre and loop back around (although I am sure it will be be only a matter of time until that overpass is built, right? Although I am not really holding my breath that it will be done soon or even quickly when it does get started as they have been farting around with the Beddington/Stoney exit for what seems a really long time for what expanded benefit?).

Freeflow design certainly plays part of it, but some of it is just weird IMO. If you look at the 114 Ave SE Connector - pretty much nobody uses that road and if you try to hit it in rush hour you are going to wait 3-5 light cycles to turn left onto 52nd ST South. 130th makes more sense but my understanding is the future connector will only be southbound right off.

Conversely, trying to travel from the core to southeast leaves for little option. Memorial doesn't connect, 16th is too far north, and any left turns from a connecting street onto 17th ave will push you 5+ light cycles unless you go straight and illegal u-turn (which I see many times everyday).

[Wentworth]

Just realized today that the current diagrams show the road going right through the Elbow Valley Constructed wetland, so I gather that park is going to be toast?

[mersar]

Originally Posted by Wentworth

Just realized today that the current diagrams show the road going right through the Elbow Valley Constructed wetland, so I gather that park is going to be toast?

I haven't heard anything, but the plans do show the EB lanes fairly close to the northern edge of the wetland and both access roads from Highway 8 closed. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some modification to the two "fingers" that stick up from the main part, and I'd suspect that its possible that the city may construct a new access from within Discovery Ridge (there is a rough road there already from what I can see on Streetview, blocked with a locked gate) as theres quite an investment already made on that site with the interpretive centre and everything else there.

[para transit fellow]

side note on the compensation deal:
It appears that the land transfer is now official. Crown land to the north and west of Bragg Creek is now part of the reserve.


http://www.rockyviewweekly.com/article/2...&utm_campaign=RSS+feed+of+RVW+local+news


you can see the updated RVC map at:
http://www.rockyview.ca/Portals/0/Files/CountyServices/Maps/Rocky-View-County-Map.pdf

[ggopher]

In related news, the Regina Bypass is progressing, this offers an interesting comparison in scale.

http://www.leaderpost.com/news/regina/on...at+province+estimate/11419686/story.html

The bypass will extend 3/4 around Regina, and consist of 40 km of new 4 lane highway, 5 km of twinning existing higway, and 15 new overpasses. Construction is began in summer 2015 and will be complete by fall 2019. Total cost of the P3 project, $1.88 billion, inlcuding 30 years of maintenance.

Winning team is SaskLink Global Transportation Partners (SGTP) and consists of:
◦VINCI
◦GraCorp Capital
◦Parsons
◦Graham
◦Carmacks
◦McElhanney
◦Urban Systems
◦Buckland and Taylor
◦exp
◦Clifton Assoc.
◦Delcan
◦National Bank

Source: http://www.saskbuilds.ca/projects/Regina%20Bypass%20Project.html

The Land Area of Regina is 145.5 km² compared to Calgary which is 825.3 km².

[izend]

Discovery Ridge's community association website has an update in regards to the alignment of the SW Ring Road.

Also, sounds like the Province is still going ahead with the plan of wider overpasses and bridges to accommodate a 2nd Ring Road 30-40 years down the road. Discovery Ridge is trying to kill the plan for the 2nd Ring Road quoting the addition cost of $452 million for wider bridges and overpasses but Brian Mason has said it is currently in the plan.

http://discoveryridge.com/2015/10/21/the-ring-road-is-coming-4/

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by izend

Discovery Ridge's community association website has an update in regards to the alignment of the SW Ring Road.

Also, sounds like the Province is still going ahead with the plan of wider overpasses and bridges to accommodate a 2nd Ring Road 30-40 years down the road. Discovery Ridge is trying to kill the plan for the 2nd Ring Road quoting the addition cost of $452 million for wider bridges and overpasses but Brian Mason has said it is currently in the plan.

http://discoveryridge.com/2015/10/21/the-ring-road-is-coming-4/

I would love an in-depth documentary into the murky world of provincial highway planning and traffic forecasting to see the maniac that somehow was able to convince the province on a 452 million dollar addition to a project already overbuilt. Amazing that this goes without question in the public.

[MalcolmTucker]

Those numbers come from no where. The province doesn't even provide a breakdown between the Calgary and Edmonton projects beyond this year so it can keep itself from locking in a floor price. Plus the capital investment numbers under accruals doesn't really mean anything for cash flow.

On a project like this, when the province is spending a quarter billion building an interchange south of Edmonton, providing a bit for future proofing is smart. Future us will thank us, and will be paying for the privilege of thanking us.

Is it a current cost? Yes. But is it a current expense? No.

There is also the matter that if the corridor isn't being used, can't it me trimmed back, even with the road there? So narrower road equals a constraint forever.

[UofC.engineer]

Originally Posted by MasterG

I would love an in-depth documentary into the murky world of provincial highway planning and traffic forecasting to see the maniac that somehow was able to convince the province on a 452 million dollar addition to a project already overbuilt. Amazing that this goes without question in the public.

meh, freeways cost a lot of money, if it gets me to the mountains faster on the weekend then for a couple billion dollars it's worth it. But $5.8 million for the cycle track! Outrageous!!!

[fusili]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

David Dodge recommended that the Government look at the idea of making the Edmonton and Calgary ring roads into Toll Roads (or at least the unfinished portions, like the SWCRR). The Government is not taking that advice.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-ne...makes-strong-case-for-alberta-toll-roads

I agree with Dodge's idea. The purpose of ring roads, if we are to believe the advocates, is to redirect freight traffic around the city, so as to avoid congestion and removing this traffic from inside the city. Freight companies would be more than willing to pay a toll, as the cost savings in fuel and especially time would be more than worth it. A toll would also encourage people to use alternative methods, or at least to avoid peak periods (perhaps the toll could be time based).

Yes to toll roads, especially ring roads.