AB Highway Construction

[the.tru.albertan]

Ouchie. Budget is out and nothing major for central AB except the Highway 11 twinning which doesn't see funds until 2023-24. There's the "Highway Twinning, Widening and Expansion" bit so hopefully something is in there for us.

[craner]

Any articles listing what was announced in the budget ?

[dmuzika]

Originally Posted by craner

Any articles listing what was announced in the budget ?

2021 Construction Projects - https://www.alberta.ca/provincial-co...n-program.aspx

[dmuzika]

Interesting article from August 2020 about the at-grade intersections along Hwy 2 between Calgary and Okotoks - https://www.okotokstoday.ca/local-ne...osures-2650000.

Looks like there are long term plans for an interchange at 338 Ave (midway between Hwy 2A & Hwy 7). Admittedly I get more nervous about those intersections than the ones in Mountain View County.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

2021 Construction Projects - https://www.alberta.ca/provincial-co...n-program.aspx

For anyone who has driven between Calgary and Brooks regularly, you'll probably recognize this bridge up for rehabilitation on the list because of how rough it is to drive on.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.83439...7i13312!8i6656

I can only hope there's a chance they fix the approach to it a bit while they're working on the bridge. All the tire marks you see on the road are from heavy vehicles lurching from the sudden grade change at the bridge. It's probably really hard on the bridge too.

[craner]

http://https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/construction-begins-on-83m-qeii-interchange-project-near-airdrie-1.5405963
Rollerstud might like this

[LTC321]

Hi: Just travelling trough The Hat and noticed some improvements there on the TCH. A few questions:

1. Why the urgency to improve things now?
2. I heard that they needed to convert the whole area to interchanges? So, they're just improving intersections with lights?

Thoughts?

[craner]

^I wonder if the eventual plan is for a MH by-pass.
I know there is a by-pass planned for Lethbridge but timing is far in the future.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by craner

^I wonder if the eventual plan is for a MH by-pass.
I know there is a by-pass planned for Lethbridge but timing is far in the future.

Yes there is. I doubt the province will suddenly change its mind and decide that 2 major freeways should meet in the heart of the city.

[dmuzika]

Originally Posted by LTC321

Hi: Just travelling trough The Hat and noticed some improvements there on the TCH. A few questions:

1. Why the urgency to improve things now?
2. I heard that they needed to convert the whole area to interchanges? So, they're just improving intersections with lights?

Thoughts?

If you try merging from Gershaw Dr (Hwy 3) onto the TCH, you can see why there needs to be some upgrades in the area - basically you have to go through one of the adjacent signallized intersections. The bypass is probably 30 years away so getting rid of the lights would be a good short term solution. I wonder if the Radcliff signals are next?

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

If you try merging from Gershaw Dr (Hwy 3) onto the TCH, you can see why there needs to be some upgrades in the area - basically you have to grow through one of the adjacent signallized intersections. The bypass is probably 30 years away so getting rid of the lights would be a good short term solution. I wonder if the Radcliff signals are next?

30 years seems pessimistic. I don't know what other major freeway project other than Deerfoot would really rank higher than bypassing Medicine Hat? Bypassing Strathmore would be nice too, that city is going to keep adding stoplights indefinitely.

[Rollerstud98]

Originally Posted by craner

http://https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/construction-begins-on-83m-qeii-interchange-project-near-airdrie-1.5405963
Rollerstud might like this

Ha, just saw this and yes I do like this!

[dmuzika]

Originally Posted by milomilo

30 years seems pessimistic. I don't know what other major freeway project other than Deerfoot would really rank higher than bypassing Medicine Hat? Bypassing Strathmore would be nice too, that city is going to keep adding stoplights indefinitely.

If you get rid of the two stoplights by Hwy 3, the Trans-Canada Hwy is freeflow through Medicine Hat, though there's still lights in neighbouring Redcliff and Dunmore. While 30 years might be pessimistic, is Medicine Hat really that bad to go through?

Other freeway or bypass project that might rank higher (speculating) could be Yellowhead Trail, Deerfoot Trail, QEII 6 laning. I wonder if the proposed Lethbridge bypass might outrank Medicine Hat? Bypass Strathmore, Claresholm, Nanton, and Fort Macleod.

I don't doubt that a Medicine Hat bypass would be ideal, I just don't think it will be built for a while.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

If you get rid of the two stoplights by Hwy 3, the Trans-Canada Hwy is freeflow through Medicine Hat, though there's still lights in neighbouring Redcliff and Dunmore. While 30 years might be pessimistic, is Medicine Hat really that bad to go through?

Other freeway or bypass project that might rank higher (speculating) could be Yellowhead Trail, Deerfoot Trail, QEII 6 laning. I wonder if the proposed Lethbridge bypass might outrank Medicine Hat? Bypass Strathmore, Claresholm, Nanton, and Fort Macleod.

I don't doubt that a Medicine Hat bypass would be ideal, I just don't think it will be built for a while.

This is just my personal experience, but Medicine Hat and Strathmore are pretty annoying delays and will only get worse. I'm not sure if that alone justifies bypassing them though.

QEII could probably justify 6 laning around Red Deer which then wouldn't leave that much left on the south end, but the road isn't that busy really. Highway 1 west of Calgary is busy at times, but adding more lanes there is just making other problems worse, we want to reduce the number of people driving to Banff.

So I don't know. There don't seem to be too many large scale projects that are obviously needed in the short term.

[craner]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

If you get rid of the two stoplights by Hwy 3, the Trans-Canada Hwy is freeflow through Medicine Hat, though there's still lights in neighbouring Redcliff and Dunmore. While 30 years might be pessimistic, is Medicine Hat really that bad to go through?

Other freeway or bypass project that might rank higher (speculating) could be Yellowhead Trail, Deerfoot Trail, QEII 6 laning. I wonder if the proposed Lethbridge bypass might outrank Medicine Hat? Bypass Strathmore, Claresholm, Nanton, and Fort Macleod.

I don't doubt that a Medicine Hat bypass would be ideal, I just don't think it will be built for a while.

Your post got me thinking how I would prioritize that list of projects.

Yellowhead freeway conversion is already happening:
http://https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/yellowhead-trail-freeway-conversion

Deerfoot upgrades are in the works:
http://https://www.calgary.ca/transportation/tp/projects/current-planning-projects/deerfoot-trail-study.html

Of the remaining items, this would be my preference:
1. QEII 6 laning.
2. TCH west 6 laning to Banff gates
3. Nanton bypass
4. Strathmore bypass
5. Claresholm bypass
6. Ft. MacLeod bypass
7. Lethbridge bypass
8. Medicine Hat bypass

It would be nice if the Highway 2 south bypasses (items 3, 5 & 6) could happen in close succession.

[TheGreatestX]

Edson, Hinton, Lloyd bypasses as well as twinning 16 to the BC border

[itom 987]

Remove the 3 stop lights on the Yellowhead by Jasper in Jasper National Park, add a 'driving though' lane at the western entrance to the park.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by TheGreatestX

twinning 16 to the BC border

Driving to BC in May, I had two semis side by side coming at me and maybe 4 or 5 other vehicles including another semi behind me, on a two lane portion through Jasper with a double solid yellow line. For a split second I was wonderring what I was looking at then another split second realized I had a nice wide shoulder to my right to escape on. No one was in danger at the moment, life didn't flash before my eyes, I didn't even panic for a second, but it could've been worse on other parts of the highway.

While the traffic volume often doesn't justify twinning 16 to BC, and BC has zero intent to twin Hwy 5 and 16 before they finish Hwy 1 aka not before 2045, but it would be nice for safety's sake.

[Dengler Avenue]

https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2022/0...y-3-continues/
Behind-the-scene work has been underway for twinning Highway 3 from Taber to Burdett.

[craner]

Thanks for the info Dengler.