Calgary Stoney Trail [Ring Road]

[Corndogger]

Here's a few interesting items--at least to me--from this week's update on the West leg of 201.




Crews prepare to pour the approach slab on the north side, which is enclosed and heated to maintain the temperature required for the concrete to properly cure


The approach slab concrete will cure for 14 days

South Project

Excavation Signals the Start of Bridge Construction

Over the next several weeks excavation will be ongoing at Old Banff Coach Road S.W. in preparation for bridge construction. Stoney Trail will go under Old Banff Coach Road S.W. and the excavation will remove dirt to get to the desired grade.

Once excavation is complete in late February, piling for the bridge foundations will begin.



Source: http://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Pub...t6hzi-bnm1hz72

[Dengler Avenue]

https://goo.gl/maps/EVfXFPXoLyv9hk4YA
Street view is now available.

[N McCity]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

https://goo.gl/maps/EVfXFPXoLyv9hk4YA
Street view is now available.

Looks like they went for a drive on it a few days too soon!

[bittabola]

Has there been any updates on the last section of the SWRR? It's been awfully quiet around Evergreen.

[trofirhen]

As a Vancouverite, I am duly impressed by the SWRR in Calgary. We have nothing like it, except a few wide kilometres here and there of an east-west freeway, and a north-south freeway.
That said, I cannot help wondering if the SWRR is not in fact locking in a huge swath of low-density urban sprawl that is pleasant to live in, but difficult to commute in and out of.
Metro Vancouver, being shoehorned into a wedge between the mountains and the US border, has nodes of high density (50+ storey buildings in the outer suburbs, yes) connected by rrt.
Calgary strikes my imagination as a sort of Canadian Dallas or Houston, albeit smaller. It looks and feels American, and seems committed to the car culture, despite a good lrt system.
Two different cities, two different schemes of development. I hope that each will serve their respective cities well, as they are both great places, ranking high in global livability indexes.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

As a Vancouverite, I am duly impressed by the SWRR in Calgary. We have nothing like it, except a few wide kilometres here and there of an east-west freeway, and a north-south freeway.
That said, I cannot help wondering if the SWRR is not in fact locking in a huge swath of low-density urban sprawl that is pleasant to live in, but difficult to commute in and out of.
Metro Vancouver, being shoehorned into a wedge between the mountains and the US border, has nodes of high density (50+ storey buildings in the outer suburbs, yes) connected by rrt.
Calgary strikes my imagination as a sort of Canadian Dallas or Houston, albeit smaller. It looks and feels American, and seems committed to the car culture, despite a good lrt system.
Two different cities, two different schemes of development. I hope that each will serve their respective cities well, as they are both great places, ranking high in global livability indexes.

Good point. Edmonton and Calgary both strike me as American-like in terms of road infrastructure.

[davee930]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Good point. Edmonton and Calgary both strike me as American-like in terms of road infrastructure.

America lite. I wish we had more big interchanges like Americans. I know I'm in the minority here but I think they're beautiful. Makes you feel like you're in a big city. And fun to drive on when it's not rush hour. The 3 level + interchanges really get me going.

[Pegasus]

Originally Posted by bittabola

Has there been any updates on the last section of the SWRR? It's been awfully quiet around Evergreen.

I frequently drive around the SWCRR near the Evergreen communities and it doesn't appear as if anything has happened since the fall. I assume it will ramp up in the spring.

[Paper Boy]

Originally Posted by davee930

America lite. I wish we had more big interchanges like Americans. I know I'm in the minority here but I think they're beautiful. Makes you feel like you're in a big city. And fun to drive on when it's not rush hour. The 3 level + interchanges really get me going.

The Alberta Interchanges are built into the landscape better than American style “STACKS” and are visually less “in your face”. In places like Vegas, LA, Dallas You can see these abominations for miles, where we tend to blend them into the environment better. Albertas highways are designed visually with far less “blight” of the stacks in the US. It would be a step backwards.

[davee930]

Originally Posted by Paper Boy

The Alberta Interchanges are built into the landscape better than American style “STACKS” and are visually less “in your face”. In places like Vegas, LA, Dallas You can see these abominations for miles, where we tend to blend them into the environment better. Albertas highways are designed visually with far less “blight” of the stacks in the US. It would be a step backwards.

Well I guess that's your opinion. And most others to be fair.

The more stacks the better in my view! But I'm a little weird.

[craner]

I like interchanges too davee - there’s a few of us “weirdos” on here.

[craner]

Originally Posted by Paper Boy

The Alberta Interchanges are built into the landscape better than American style “STACKS” and are visually less “in your face”. In places like Vegas, LA, Dallas You can see these abominations for miles, where we tend to blend them into the environment better. Albertas highways are designed visually with far less “blight” of the stacks in the US. It would be a step backwards.

I think the lack of stacks in Canada has more to do with freezing temperatures than not wanting to be flashy. Our interchanges are built into the landscape to avoid exposed underside of ramps as much as possible.

[davee930]

Originally Posted by craner

I like interchanges too davee - there’s a few of us “weirdos” on here.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! You're actually the first person I've ever heard that appreciates it.

[Mazrim]

I remember looking at pictures of the big stack interchanges in the US and thinking they looked really cool. But when you're in the vicinity of one at ground level, they're not the most attractive. Driving on them it's cool, but those who live and work around them probably don't think too fondly of the design. I think keeping them lower to the ground is a better option for many reasons, but the visual aspect of them unfortunately can't be masked.

[davee930]

I also love real freeways. Can't stand traffic lights.

[GranaryMan]

Originally Posted by davee930

I also love real freeways. Can't stand traffic lights.

You're not alone, although being from Edmonton, when I voice my opinion on the Edmonton forum, or when C2E existed, the others would get out their pitch forks and torches. Apparently it is not okay to like freeways, and find the tangle of roads beautiful......but then again, I enjoy driving, and will often go out to drive just because.

[davee930]

Originally Posted by GranaryMan

You're not alone, although being from Edmonton, when I voice my opinion on the Edmonton forum, or when C2E existed, the others would get out their pitch forks and torches. Apparently it is not okay to like freeways, and find the tangle of roads beautiful......but then again, I enjoy driving, and will often go out to drive just because.

Yeah I feel alone from Calgary. Love driving on the freeways when it's not rush hour. People always say Calgary has too many freeways. We have one going through the city. I wish Crowchild and Glenmore Tr were complete freeways. Tunneling under the NW to get through the intersections would be great.

I would be thrilled if we had at least one 3 level stack. Sort of do with the elevated train section but that doesn't count.

I love elevated trains too.

And what's with all the "highways" with lights everywhere in Canada.

[Pegasus]

Originally Posted by GranaryMan

You're not alone, although being from Edmonton, when I voice my opinion on the Edmonton forum, or when C2E existed, the others would get out their pitch forks and torches. Apparently it is not okay to like freeways, and find the tangle of roads beautiful......but then again, I enjoy driving, and will often go out to drive just because.

You're not alone, GranaryMan and davee930, detesting traffic lights . . . I get the same reaction when I praise full clover leaf intersections on this forum! I would much rather merge than sit in a long line of cars at a red light. It may make sense when there are space limitations, but not on a new road like the SWCRR.

[davee930]

Originally Posted by Pegasus

You're not alone, GranaryMan and davee930, detesting traffic lights . . . I get the same reaction when I praise full clover leaf intersections on this forum! I would much rather merge than sit in a long line of cars at a red light. It may make sense when there are space limitations, but not on a new road like the SWCRR.

I'm probably one of the few here that lives right beside a freeway and I love it. It's actually calming for me to watch and hear the traffic out my office window.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by davee930

Yeah I feel alone from Calgary. Love driving on the freeways when it's not rush hour. People always say Calgary has too many freeways. We have one going through the city. I wish Crowchild and Glenmore Tr were complete freeways. Tunneling under the NW to get through the intersections would be great.

I would be thrilled if we had at least one 3 level stack. Sort of do with the elevated train section but that doesn't count.


I love elevated trains too.

And what's with all the "highways" with lights everywhere in Canada.

There's already a number of 3 level stack interchanges in Calgary - Bow and Crowchild Trails. Glenmore and Crowchild Trails. Stoney and Deerfoot north side. Stoney and Deerfoot south side. Glenmore and Stoney in the southwest. Crowchikd and Stoney in the northwest sort of is. 16th and Stoney on the west side will be.