No. H 152/09
For release November 2, 2009
Approximately 45 per cent of ring road is complete
CALGARY — The northern sections of the Stoney Trail ring road in Calgary are now complete and open to drivers.
"This new ring road is the concrete result of a forward-thinking vision that began 30 years ago," said Premier Ed Stelmach. "The foresight to start planning the transportation and utility corridors back then is paying dividends for Albertans today and will continue to benefit Albertans in the future. Stoney Trail represents our commitment to providing the infrastructure Alberta needs to support the province's economic growth and prosperity."
The new Stoney Trail stretches 44 kilometres from Highway 1 (16 Avenue NW) on Calgary's west side to Highway 1A (17 Avenue SE) on the city's east side. The road includes 12 interchanges, one flyover and three signalized intersections. The signalized intersections will be replaced by interchanges by 2013.
"The Government of Canada, under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is committed to investing in Calgary infrastructure projects," said the Honourable Rob Merrifield, federal Minister of State (Transport). "By working with our provincial and municipal partners, we are investing in priority projects for Calgarians that are creating jobs and improving infrastructure around the city."
The road was built as two distinct projects — Stoney Trail NW and Stoney Trail NE — by two different delivery methods. Stoney Trail NW, the section between Highway 1 and Deerfoot Trail, was built by conventional design-bid-build delivery. The Alberta government invested $385 million for this section while the federal government provided $75 million under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund. Construction began in 2005.
Stoney Trail NE was built through a public-private partnership (P3) and includes the section between Deerfoot Trail and 17 Avenue SE. The Alberta government signed a 30-year contract with the Stoney Trail Group to design, build, operate and partially finance this section. The contract also includes maintenance of Stoney Trail NW and is worth $650 million in 2007 dollars. Construction began in 2007.
"The new Stoney Trail represents a significant investment in Alberta's highway network and we would like to thank the federal government for its contribution to this project," said Luke Ouellette, Alberta's Minister of Transportation. "This initial leg is the first part of a world-class ring road system that features very high standards of engineering, design and construction. Safety is the most important benefit of these high standards."
"We thank and congratulate the province for its commitment to delivering this important piece of infrastructure for Calgary," said Mayor David Bronconnier. "The residents of north Calgary will enjoy a great benefit as a result of this portion of the ring road, not to mention the huge impact it will provide our transportation and logistics industries in moving their products more quickly and efficiently."
Initially, about 30,000 to 40,000 vehicles per day are expected to use Stoney Trail, depending on location.
"The success of the northeast Stoney Trail project has been made possible through the combined efforts and the ongoing collaborative approach between Alberta Transportation and the Stoney Trail General Partnership," said John McArthur, Stoney Trail Group representative. "Our project is just set to begin delivering the forecast benefits to the public on schedule and on budget, demonstrating yet again the inherent strength of public-private partnerships. We are very proud of this accomplishment and remain deeply committed to providing high-quality services to the highway users for years to come."
The newly opened sections complete approximately 45 per cent of Calgary's ring road. Visit www.transportation.alberta.ca/804.htm for more information on the Calgary Ring Road.
The Government of Alberta has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. The Way Forward will bring Alberta back into a surplus position in three years by trimming government spending; using cash reserves to protect key programs; continuing to invest in public infrastructure; and ensuring that our province's industries are competitive and continue to attract investment to provide jobs and prosperity.
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Backgrounders: Calgary Ring Road map, Calgary Ring Road facts
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