Stoney Trail
Stoney Trail is a freeway in Calgary, Alberta. Planned for a total length of, three final segments of the ring road are currently under construction to be incrementally completed by 2024 at the latest, delayed from an original target of 2022. The freeway serves as a bypass for the congested routes of 16 Avenue N and Deerfoot Trail through Calgary. At its busiest point near Beddington Trail in north Calgary, the six-lane freeway carried nearly 79,000 vehicles per day in 2019.
Stoney Trail begins in the city's northwest at Highway 1 near Canada Olympic Park, running north across the Bow River and Crowchild Trail. It winds through the hills of northwest Calgary to Deerfoot Trail and the Queen Elizabeth II Highway. Turning south, the freeway again intersects Highway 1, crosses Glenmore Trail, and curves west at the neighbourhood of Mahogany. Beyond a second major interchange with Deerfoot Trail, it descends across the Bow River and ends at Macleod Trail in the city's southeast.
The freeway's "Stoney" name is derived from Alberta's Nakoda First Nation, one of several major thoroughfares in the region that bear Indigenous names. Construction first began in northwest Calgary as an expressway in the 1990s, incrementally extending clockwise towards Deerfoot Trail before two public–private partnership projects completed the northeast and southeast sections in 2009 and 2013, respectively. After years of struggling to acquire right of way for the southwest portion of the road from the adjacent Tsuu T'ina Nation, Alberta finally struck a C$275 million deal in 2013 with the Nation that included a transfer of crown land and other reparative conditions. Work began in 2016 to upgrade a section of Glenmore Trail and extend Sarcee Trail south across the Elbow River to Fish Creek Blvd, a segment that will be named Tsuut’ina Trail upon its October 1, 2020 opening. A section extending it further south to Highway 22X will open by October 1, 2021 along with upgrades to the balance of 22X. Work is also underway on the final leg in west Calgary which will connect Highway 1 to Highway 8, planned for completion by 2024.
Route description
Stoney Trail currently consists of the northern and southeastern sections of the ring road, and, at its completion, will effectively be a freeway that encircles the entire city. The northern and southern sections create a northern and eastern bypass link between Highway 1 and Deerfoot Trail.History
Planning for the Calgary and Edmonton ring roads began in the 1970s when Alberta developed some restricted development areas in a corridor of land then mostly outside the developed civic areas for future infrastructure, including high-speed ring-road systems. This land is also known as the Transportation and Utility Corridor, as land set aside for future road and utility purposes. Land acquisition started in 1974, and by the time the ring road projects were initiated, Alberta had acquired 97% of the lands. The Calgary TUC failed to include a corridor in southwest Calgary between Glenmore Trail and Highway 22X. The City of Calgary is bounded along 37 Street SW by the Tsuu T'ina Nation. The developed areas of Calgary had already reached 37 Street SW around the Glenmore Reservoir inhibiting the ability of the government to impose an RDA. The missing link in the TUC map created uncertainty in the future positioning of the southwest leg of the freeway. In 2013, a land acquisition agreement was signed by Alberta with the Tsuu T'ina Nation, and construction began in 2016.Northwest construction
The northwest quadrant of the ring road was the first to be constructed. In the mid-1990s, the province of Alberta built the first segment around the Bow River Bridge connecting Highway 1 with Crowchild Trail. This was subsequently extended to Country Hill Boulevard. In 2003, the province announced plans for a east Deerfoot Trail. The original design was limited in scope and incorporated two interchanges, one flyover and two signalized intersections with completion scheduled in 2007 at a cost of $250 million. In January 2005, the province announced an increase in scope of the project with the addition of three additional interchanges at Crowchild Trail, Country Hills Boulevard and Scenic Acres Link.In addition to increasing costs, the project was delayed and the full extension to Deerfoot Trail was not opened until November 2, 2009, although some sections were opened earlier.
The portion of the ring road between Harvest Hills Boulevard and Deerfoot Trail opened to traffic on November 2, 2009. 30,000 to 40,000 vehicles were expected to use this segment daily. Actual peak traffic volumes exceeded 40,000 vpd between Crowchild Trail and Country Hills Boulevard in 2010.
Grading has been completed for a future interchange at 11 Street NE. This road would service undeveloped industrial land bounded to the east by Deerfoot Trail, north by Stoney Trail, west by the CPR right-of-way and south by Country Hills Boulevard. No schedule has been set for the construction of this interchange. The interchange will also provide a road connection north of Stoney Trail.
The northwest ring road opened on November 2, 2009, with traffic signals at Harvest Hills Boulevard but grading was completed for a future possible interchange. On November 25, 2009, the province announced construction of the Harvest Hills Boulevard Interchange to be opening in fall 2010. The cost of the interchange project was $14 million. The interchange opened to traffic in 2010. Grading has been completed for a future interchange at 14 Street NW. At present, there is a right-in-right-out access south of Stoney Trail into the Panorama Hills neighbourhood. No schedule had been set for the construction of this interchange. The interchange will also provide a road connection north of Stoney Trail. In summer 2014, grading began for westbound exit to 14th and southbound 14th entrance ramp to westbound Stoney.
A signalized intersection was initially constructed at Beddington Trail and Symons Valley Road, but it was upgraded to an interchange when the project was finished in 2009. This interchange opened in July 2009, when the segment from Sarcee Trail to Harvest Hills Boulevard was opened a few months ahead of the full extension to Deerfoot Trail. Originally, Alberta Transportation intended only to construct a flyover at Shaganappi Trail, with no connections to the northwest ring road when the project was initiated but was upgraded to an interchange when the project was finished in 2009. This interchange opened in July 2009 when the segment from Sarcee Trail to Harvest Hills Boulevard was opened a few months ahead of the full extension to Deerfoot Trail.
near Canada Olympic Park is being twinned as part of work on the final leg of the ring
At Sarcee Trail a signalized intersection was initially constructed, but upgraded to an interchange when the project was completed. The segment from Country Hills Boulevard to Sarcee Trail was opened on November 25, 2008, a year ahead of the full extension to Deerfoot Trail. An interchange at Country Hills Boulevard was added to the northwest ring road project in January 2005 to replace the original signalized intersection built when this segment of the ring road was built in the 1990s. The original project scope had this remaining as a signalized intersection. The interchange opened to traffic in September 2008.
A new interchange was announced on 28, 2005, for Crowchild Trail as part of an upgrade to the $250 million project. Plans to extend the CTrain resulted in changes to the design of the interchange. The Crowchild Interchange was constructed along a pre-existing portion of Stoney Trail, and the design was modified to be free-flowing and to include an LRT bridge to allow for the CTrain to be extended west to Tuscany station. The Crowchild interchange fully opened to traffic on September 28, 2011.
In January 2005, an interchange at Tuscany Boulveard/Scenic Acres Link was added. The full interchange opened to traffic in the fall of 2009. Following the completion of the Crowchild Trail interchange, the only remaining traffic signals were at the intersection with Nose Hill Drive. Aecom was retained in the spring of 2010 to plan, design and administer construction of this interchange to be open in the fall of 2012. Design and public information delays caused Alberta Transportation to revise its expectations and it was announced that construction of the interchange would commence in early 2011 and be completed in the fall of 2013. However, the tender process was slow to be initiated and it was not until November 17, 2011 that Alberta Transportation announced the Nose Hill Drive interchange would be built by Acciona Infrastructure Canada at a cost of $67 million and be opened to traffic in the fall of 2014.
Northeast leg
Construction of the northeast portion of the freeway began in 2007 and opened to traffic on November 2, 2009, connecting the Deerfoot Trail interchange to 17 Avenue SE. In December 2005, Calgary had announced it was in talks with the province to expedite construction, and on February 22, 2007 Alberta's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation awarded a contract to the Stoney Trail Group public-private partnership consortium for construction of the project's first stage, and maintenance of the northwest and northeast sections of the ring road for 30 years following completion.Major interchanges along the northeast route include Métis Trail. A partial cloverleaf interchange was built at Métis Trail, a north-south expressway. The City of Calgary opened the extension of Métis Trail between 80 and 96 Avenues NE on October 29, 2011. Right-in/right-out ramps to 60 Street NE from eastbound Stoney Trail were completed on November 22, 2019. Grading has been completed for a future interchange at 60 Street NE that will be completed when required, and may also be future right of way for a CTrain extension. On October 12, 2011, 96 Avenue was opened from Stoney Trail west to 60 Street NE, accessible only from the south. The diamond interchange at McKnight Boulevard will be upgraded into a partial cloverleaf interchange when required. The project included a large cloverstack interchange at 16 Avenue NE.
Southeast leg
On March 2, 2009, the Alberta Government announced the proceeding with construction of the remaining portion of the East Freeway from 17 Avenue SE to Highway 22X, as well as improvements to the existing Highway 22X roadway between that location and just east of the Macleod Trail interchange. This portion, like the northeastern portion, was built as a P3. Three firms bid on the contract: Chinook Partnership, SEConnect and SE Calgary Connector Group. The winning bid of $769 million was submitted by Chinook Roads Partnership. Chinook Roads Partnership will also be responsible for maintenance of this portion of the Ring Road, as well as maintenance of Deerfoot Trail between Highway 22X and Highway 2A for 30 years after construction completion.Construction on the southeast leg began in the spring of 2010, and was opened on November 22, 2013, almost two months behind schedule. The southeast extension of Stoney Trail also resulted in upgrades to Highway 22X between Stoney and Macleod Trails. When the extension opened in 2013, the City officially renamed this portion of 22X as part of Stoney Trail, and the province designated it as part of Highway 201. Highway 22X continues west of Macleod Trail as Spruce Meadows Trail, while 22X continues east of Stoney Trail toward Gleichen.
An interchange was constructed at Sun Valley Boulevard / Chaparral Boulevard, upgraded from the existing intersection. The original project schedule from June 2010 had interchange construction starting in 2010 with construction of the bridge structure in 2011 towards a phased opening in 2012-2013.
The McKenzie Lake Boulevard / Cranston Boulevard intersection was upgraded to a modified diamond interchange; work on this interchange began 2010 and by fall 2011 the bridge structure had been erected. The interchange design is a modified diamond and integrates into the nearby cloverstack interchange at Deerfoot Trail.
Some residents of the Cranston neighbourhood were unhappy with the design of the interchange, as access was removed from westbound Stoney Trail to the interchange or the Cranston Avenue / Seton Boulevard interchange on Deerfoot Trail. Access was also removed Commuters also cannot go on to the ramp to Deerfoot Trail southbound and can go only northbound when on the ramp to the highway. The commuters are forced to use the 52 Street interchange to the east. As for the commuters heading to northbound Deerfoot, they have to head to the McKenzie Towne / McKenzie Lake Boulevard interchange or the Seton Boulevard / Cranston Avenue interchange, which both lead to Deerfoot Trail northbound.
A partial cloverleaf interchange was constructed at 52 Street SE. The original project schedule from June 2010 had this interchange fully opening in the fall of 2013 with traffic on the new structure in the summer of 2012 with construction starting in 2011. The revised project schedule of June 2011 still indicated a fall 2013 opening, the only significant difference is the temporary constructions detour road has been shifted to the east side of the bridge structure from the west side. As of December 2011, construction of the interchange had started with grading of the interchange ramps and piling installation. 52 Street interchange was completed with the rest of the project on November 22, 2013. At 88 Street SE, Stoney Trail intersects with 22X with a hybrid interchange. An existing intersection at 88 Street SE was removed. Grading was also completed for a future interchange at 130 Avenue. A similar partial cloverleaf interchange was constructed at a slightly realigned 114 Avenue SE. The interchange fully opened on November 22, 2013.
Partial cloverleaf interchanges were constructed at Glenmore and Peigan Trails. Peigan Trail was also be extended from 52 Street to Stoney Trail as a result. The existing 17 Avenue SE intersection, which had been the terminus of the freeway since 2009, was upgraded to a partial cloverleaf interchange.
In the fall of 2011, the province held a community consultation meeting on upgrading the Macleod Trail / 22X interchange, which was not included in the southeast ring road project. Pending funding, this will open in the fall of 2014 which includes twinning the bridge over Macleod Trail and twinning an additional bridge structure over the CPR right-of-way. The existing interchange is also only an undivided single lane in each direction along 22X on the bridge structure over Macleod Trail. This is the only single-lane segment of 22X between Deerfoot Trail and the junction with Highway 22 at west of Calgary. This will upgrade the interchange to a full cloverleaf and remove the lights on 22X west of Macleod Trail. This will become an interim full systems interchange with no signalized intersections on the access ramps. The ultimate interchange design includes a stacked interchange with flyovers from westbound 22X to southbound Macleod Trail and northbound Macleod to westbound 22X. The ultimate interchange design was predicated on the traffic volumes associated with the Southwest Calgary Ring Road and was to have been built as part of the Southwest Calgary Ring Road project. With the Tsuu T'ina vote of June 30, 2009 rejecting the ring road agreement putting uncertainty back in the Southwest Ring Road project, the construction of the ultimate interchange configuration has been deferred.
This interchange is further complicated by the fact it contains a right in right out access into the adjacent Shawnessy Town Center regional commercial area. At present, traffic can exit onto the interchange access ramps allowing egress to eastbound and westbound Highway 22X. Reduced access from the Shawnessy Town Center will be maintained but only onto the southbound Macleod to westbound 22X ramp.
Future
Construction is underway on the final two legs of the freeway in west and southwest Calgary; both legs have been divided into north and south projects. The time-sensitive northern segment of the southwest leg will be completed first, following a land transfer agreement with the Tsuu T'ina First Nation that was reached in 2013. It is being built as a 6-8 lane freeway to be completed by October 1, 2021, with the ability to upgrade the corridor to an 16-lane freeway with express and collector lanes. Sarcee Trail is being extended south from Glenmore Trail with interchanges at Tsuut'ina Parkway, 90 Avenue, Anderson Road, 130 Avenue, and Fish Creek Blvd. This segment will open on October 1, 2020. The southern segment of the southwest leg will extend the road further south past a new interchange at 162 Avenue to Highway 22X. This segment will open by October 1, 2021 and includes the construction of two interchanges on Highway 22X west of Macleod Trail to upgrade it from the present epxressway to a freeway, along with the reconstruction of the major interchange at Highway 22X and Macleod Trail. Stoney Trail will retain connectivity with 6 Street and James McKevitt Road upgrading to partial cloverleaf interchanges.In 2019, construction began on the northern portion of the west leg of Stoney Trail, extending the freeway from its present terminus at Highway 1 south to Old Banff Coach Road. Work on this portion of the freeway will be completed in 2022 and includes reconstruction of the existing 16 Avenue interchange, construction of a new bridge over the Bow River and upgrades to 16 Avenue adjacent to Valley Ridge. The road will climb along the west side of Canada Olympic Park adjacent to Cougar Ridge ending at new interchange with Old Banff Coach Road. The southern portion of the west leg will extend the freeway further south to interchanges at Bow Trail and 17 Avenue SW, ending at Highway 8 which will complete the ring. The southern portion of the west leg has been delayed to a "worst case" completion date of 2024 from the originally planned 2022, due to litigation regarding the relocation of power lines, and supply issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Alberta hopes to have the road completed prior to then, and may open sections sooner than that if they are able.