Ring Road To Nowhere

[ryangb]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Just took it myself between the hill and the NW.

That was extremely satisfying. I love novel experiences like that. Felt like I teleported between two areas that are usually much more roundabout to traverse between.

I like where it merges at the bridge too. Its further up than i thought which makes for fairly direct access. You can really forego the mess of vehicles merging north from the transcanada.

I can get used to this.

Can you enter and exit off at Old Banff Coach?

[you&me]

Did Bow to Crowchild and back today... each way took less than 1/3rd of the old time, with about 1/10th of the pain in my rear. Great, now my wife wants to look at moving to Watermark.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by ryangb

Can you enter and exit off at Old Banff Coach?

Yes,

Down to Bow it's fully open, just as you get to bow southbound they slowly block off the 3 left lanes that are already ready to go, so you have to exit.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by ryangb

Can you enter and exit off at Old Banff Coach?

Yup.

Looks like the businesses on 85th just got way more accessible.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Driving south the sign with distances had OBCR, Bow and Highway 8 listed in order. I wonder why it didn't have 17th on there?

17th will have its own interchange with full access to the RR, won't it?

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Driving south the sign with distances had OBCR, Bow and Highway 8 listed in order. I wonder why it didn't have 17th on there?

17th will have its own interchange with full access to the RR, won't it?

No you have to use bow trail.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Weitz

No you have to use bow trail.

Laaame.

[monkeyman]

Will be interesting to see what traffic is like tomorrow morning. here's hoping it isn't a #### show.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by ryangb

Can you enter and exit off at Old Banff Coach?

You can go from Old Banff to northbound Stoney, but not Old Banff to southbound Stoney.


You can also go from southbound Stoney to Old Banff, but not northbound Stoney to Old Banff.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Looked at some satellite imagery of the area at 17th.

It will have limited RR access. When the last leg fully opens you will be able to exit directly to 17th when heading northbound on the RR, and you can merge onto the southbound RR coming from the west.

Since there's a traffic circle west of the 17th overpass it could allow for U turns if needed (exit northbound, go around the traffic circle, come back and hop on the southbound again). As well as technically southbound access if you're coming from the east.

Looks like northbound access is where you'd have to use the Bow interchange. Also if you want to exit to 17th from the RR heading southbound - looks like that has to be done at Bow too.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Since there's a traffic circle west of the 17th overpass it could allow for U turns if needed (exit northbound, go around the traffic circle, come back and hop on the southbound again). As well as technically southbound access if you're coming from the east.

You could just exit northbound, go westbound on 17th at the lights and then take the southbound exit at the lights without needing to go to either roundabout.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

You could just exit northbound, go westbound on 17th at the lights and then take the southbound exit at the lights without needing to go to either roundabout.

Right. There's a lighted intersection there after at the bridge at 101st. Makes it even easier.

[TheIronMaiden]

How long until google maps changes?

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

How long until google maps changes?

Waze is updated, but they've got a nerdy map editor community that probably had their finger over the button.
Waze is now owned by Google, but I prefer it because of the quick map updates, and also the traffic and incident reports. But I bet that Google Maps won't be too far behind.

[TheIronMaiden]

I'm just wondering if it is faster getting to spruce meadows going up sarcee or bow trail from the ring road haha.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I'm just wondering if it is faster getting to spruce meadows going up sarcee or bow trail from the ring road haha.

It will probably take a little bit for the average speeds over those segments to get calculated (to give a more accurate ETA).

For what it is worth, Waze is telling me that if I left right now form Tuscany, it would take 29 minutes to go the "old" way of Stoney, Trans Canada, Sarcee, and then back onto Stoney/Tsuut'ina past Westhills.

Staying on Stoney up the new bit to Bow and then cutting over to Sarcee would be 4 minutes longer. No traffic or incidents reported on either route.

Big grain of salt, of course. Once traffic patterns get normalized it will be more accurate. And at this hour, there isn't a traffic jam on SB Sarcee at Bow like often is at other times. That might make Stoney to Bow more attractive.

I'll probably drive it anyway even it takes a few minutes longer, purely because of the novelty factor.

[TheIronMaiden]

GIS are cool.

[Nancy]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I'm just wondering if it is faster getting to spruce meadows going up sarcee or bow trail from the ring road haha.

On the new route, you would have up to 5 lights to go through to get to Bow and Sarcee as opposed to 0 the old route, plus it is a slightly greater distance and lower speed limit.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I'm just wondering if it is faster getting to spruce meadows going up sarcee or bow trail from the ring road haha.

There's probably hardly a difference.

If you take the RR, 17th & bow and 69th & bow are two intersections that can slow you down if you don't hit green lights, whereas on the old route sarcee & bow is just one sloggy intersection.

Wouldn't be surprised if the old way is a touch faster right now with 60 still the limit on the new section.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Nancy

On the new route, you would have up to 5 lights to go through to get to Bow and Sarcee as opposed to 0 the old route, plus it is a slightly greater distance and lower speed limit.

There would be one light on SB Sarcee @ Bow on the old route... And I count 3 or 4 with the new route; One when you exit the RR to turn EB on Bow; one at 85th and Bow; One at 69th and Bow; and I suppose one at Bow and Sarcee, but it's a right turn and should be unimpeded... Right? Or is there a second light on the Bow overpass (wasn't sure if it was operational yet)?