Calgary Stoney Trail [Ring Road]

[Porfiry]

Originally Posted by speedog

You don't really get it, it takes someone's time to do this and even if it is a little bit of time that loaded rate could probably be better spent elsewhere.

They post lots of stuff to their website (I mean, construction notices and whatnot) on a regular basis. It wouldn't take any meaningful additional effort to post those updates on Twitter at the same time.

[craner]

^Recommendations from the Board go to the Minister for a final decision - correct ?
How long do you figure that will take ?

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by craner

^Recommendations from the Board go to the Minister for a final decision - correct ?
How long do you figure that will take ?

I heard on the news today that a decision is expected within 20 days. But they also said the board is independent of government. According to this CBC news article the EAB says one of three outcomes is possible.

EAB spokesman Gilbert Van Nes says there are three possible outcomes from the hearings.

"That the approval here be confirmed, which means everything's fine; reversed, which means we have to go back to the drawing board; or varied, which means the board will make changes to the approval that would allow the project to proceed," he said.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-ring-road-environmental-appeals-1.4368317

[DoubleK]

Similar to what Corndogger said, I believe they are required by legislation to give their report/recommendation to the Minister within 30 days of the close of the hearing.

It's then up to the Minister to release it.

[craner]

Originally Posted by Corndogger

I heard on the news today that a decision is expected within 20 days. But they also said the board is independent of government. According to this CBC news article the EAB says one of three outcomes is possible.

EAB spokesman Gilbert Van Nes says there are three possible outcomes from the hearings.

"That the approval here be confirmed, which means everything's fine; reversed, which means we have to go back to the drawing board; or varied, which means the board will make changes to the approval that would allow the project to proceed," he said.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-ring-road-environmental-appeals-1.4368317

Hopefully sanity prevails and it's "Confirmed".

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

Really interesting aerial images shot by/for the Weaselhead Preservation Society, like this one of the Elbow Valley, looking east. Amazing seeing the new Elbow channel and the scale of the work.

Where are they getting the money from to be able to afford to do this? And this isn't the first either. Correct?

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

One of the 'YYCcares' group implies that I shouldn't be talking about the historical context of wetlands avoidance on the SW Ring Road project because I am not an 'AEP Director'

How frustrating. Anything that doesn't align with their point of view or support their argument is cast aside as 'alternative facts'.

The personal attack was just uncalled for.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

One of the 'YYCcares' group implies that I shouldn't be talking about the historical context of wetlands avoidance on the SW Ring Road project because I am not an 'AEP Director'

https://twitter.com/Allison_yyc/status/923981212867166208

Keeping in mind that she is also not an 'AEP Director'. Logically, if I shouldn't be talking about this because I'm not an AEP Director wouldn't that mean that she shouldn't be talking about it either...?

Also didn't address my contributions, just pulled out an Ad Hominem attack.

I don't care where ANYONE stands on any issue around the ring road, but I do pipe up when there is an opportunity to inject some context or accuracy into the public discourse.

Yeah it's pretty ironic of her to accuse you of not being in a position to criticize! She should hold herself to the same standards.

[craner]

I knew who you were referring to before I even opened the link. She just makes my skin crawl. Way to take the high road 5 Secs.

[Corndogger]

Aerial video of the SWRR from August. Shows just how massive the project is going to be.

• Video Link

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by craner

I knew who you were referring to before I even opened the link. She just makes my skin crawl. Way to take the high road 5 Secs.

Who's funding YYC Cares?

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

The funny thing is that I actually want to see a longer bridge over the Elbow!

I'll bite. Why exactly? Bridges are expensive. The extra money could be put to use for another transportation project elsewhere in the province.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

It's a personal view about how we value areas like the Weaselhead. If our priority is making things as cheap as possible, then bridges should be as small as possible, but I believe that there are some things where we should be doing more than the bare minimum.

I totally understand the Province's position, but I would much rather have had something more contextually sensitive.

This is a completely fair position. If in the end a longer bridge gets built I won't be too unhappy with the result although I'll be very frustrated with the process of getting there.

That said, all the destruction has already happened from the looks of things so what can really be done now? Fill in the new channel and replant the trees?

[Socguy]

In the grand scheme of things, I don't feel that the Weaselhead is actually all that valuable to the environment. Certainly it's value is not negligible but it's proximity to the city and the number of people passing through it already curtails it's potential significantly. Though I'm sure that many of the joggers and dog walkers would argue that it's the most magical of places.

Overall, much more impact could be had by focusing on protecting the major watersheds in the mountains from logging and other large-scale tracts of land from human activity. Build the berm and spend the difference protecting the areas in this province that actually matter.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by Socguy

In the grand scheme of things, I don't feel that the Weaselhead is actually all that valuable to the environment. Certainly it's value is not negligible but it's proximity to the city and the number of people passing through it already curtails it's potential significantly. Though I'm sure that many of the joggers and dog walkers would argue that it's the most magical of places.

Overall, much more impact could be had by focusing on protecting the major watersheds in the mountains from logging and other large-scale tracts of land from human activity. Build the berm and spend the difference protecting the areas in this province that actually matter.

Agreed. I mean it's literally hundreds of metres upstream of a dammed reservoir, rendering any negligible water retention benefits completely irrelevant.

This has nothing to do with flood prevention like they state in the website (not that they would have a single clue how to calculate that). It's just the angry residents of Lakeview want the province to preserve their surroundings exactly as they are, classic NIMBYism.

[Corndogger]

Mason makes ring road guarantee

“Not only will I promise . . . that it will be finished on time, I promise that we will finish it ahead of schedule,” Mason said to applause from the government benches.

Source: http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/mason-makes-ring-road-guarantee

[jeremy.r]

Originally Posted by Acey

Early, you say? Last three P3 ring road legs:

Henday NE - finished at the last second
Stoney SE - finished 6 weeks late
Henday NW - finished at the last second

I read that as "early relative to the 2022 land transfer deadline". If I'm remembering correctly the portion through TTN is supposed to be done in 2020 according to the P3 contract (2021 for the rest).

Also I don't think it's been posted here yet, aerial images from September are up on the SWCRR site:

http://www.swcrrproject.com/media-centre/photo-gallery/

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by jeremy.r

I read that as "early relative to the 2022 land transfer deadline". If I'm remembering correctly the portion through TTN is supposed to be done in 2020 according to the P3 contract (2021 for the rest).

Also I don't think it's been posted here yet, aerial images from September are up on the SWCRR site:

http://www.swcrrproject.com/media-centre/photo-gallery/

It's clear he was talking about the construction of the road--the entire thing.

[jeremy.r]

Originally Posted by Corndogger

It's clear he was talking about the construction of the road--the entire thing.

I agree - just trying to say that I'm reading his comments as a guarantee to be ahead of the May 2022 schedule/deadline, and not necessarily ahead of the P3 contract schedule dates.

Under the agreement between the Tsuut’ina Nation and the former Progressive Conservative government that allowed the ring road to go ahead, the project must be completed by May 2022 or the land ceded by the Tsuut’ina will revert to the First Nation, which would also keep its $340-million payment from the province.

In question period, Mason faced demands for a guarantee from United Conservative Party MLA Wayne Drysdale that the ring road will be completed in time, given that a pending Environmental Appeals Board decision could affect construction.

“Not only will I promise . . . that it will be finished on time, I promise that we will finish it ahead of schedule,” Mason said to applause from the government benches.

Mason has previously said he hoped to have work completed by 2021.

[YYCguys]

When I was cruising east past the 14th Street “interchange” on Stoney Trail today, the ramps had a reduced speed and there seemed to be barriers and signs of impending construction, perhaps the interchange is going to be built out finally? Can anyone confirm?