Alberta goes forward with Deerfoot Trail upgrades after several speed bumps

EDMONTON – After halting upgrades to Deerfoot Trail in Calgary in July the Alberta government is going forward with the project.

The provincial government is targeting bottlenecks on Deerfoot Trail between Glenmore Trail and Anderson Road/Bow Bottom Trail but halted the project in the summer when it was determined the approach was “not economically viable” as a public-private partnership, a release stated.

Then Minister of Transportation Prasad Panda explained economic conditions had resulted in pricing volatility and historically high inflation for the construction industry making the P3 approach difficult.

“In November 2022, we amended our existing public-private partnership procurement process to address critical improvements on Deerfoot Trail. The process will continue with the pre-qualified teams. The successful proponent will be selected and the contract will be awarded in spring 2023,” the release added.

Key components of the expansion project will include improvement of the Bow Bottom Trail and Anderson Road, Southland Drive and Glenmore Trail interchanges, seven new bridge structures at Anderson Road and Bow Bottom Trail, Bow River, Southland Drive and Glenmore Trail and additional lanes for Deerfoot Trail along the highway and through the Anderson Road/Bow Bottom Trails and Glenmore Trail Interchanges.

“Our goal is to significantly increase capacity at several highway choke points to cut down on congestion. Faster commutes, less panic getting kids to school or practice, quicker trips for groceries, less stress – hopefully it makes life a little bit better for everyone in Calgary,” said Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen in the release.

Construction is expected to begin in 2023 with completion in 2027.

The provincial government is also working towards completion of upgrades to Deerfoot Trail between 64 Avenue and McKnight Boulevard and a tender for that project was posted in August.

Tenders for other work, including interchange ramp reconfigurations, widening and adding travel lanes, and improving crossroad connections are expected to be posted by winter.