[Acey]

Originally Posted by Cuz

Very good read, seems to be a fair assessment of the issues surrounding the road. It does lead me to wonder, if the main contention of the nation was the wording of the agreement, why did it take so long to reach another agreement in principle?

As he mentioned, it may be due to politics; the province's need to puff out their chest as it were, and make it seem like they were the ones in control. So they walked away for a while, an unnecessarily long while. Seems they and the city also spent money to confirm that any of the ring road options through the city are both prohibitively expensive, and do not properly serve the purpose of a ring road.

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

What about elevating it?

Extremely expensive, and very inaesthetic (ugly). The province makes the contractors adhere to surprisingly stringent standards in regards to aesthetics, that's why you see the mountain pattern and wild rose emblems on the retaining walls, which look quite nice.

Here's a bit of what they required of the SE leg currently under construction, and probably far more beyond what's in this document:

Spoiler!

The Contractor is advised that the Department supports and encourages the inclusion of cost effective features to improve the overall roadway and bridge structure aesthetics. The Contractor shall develop and incorporate in its design an aesthetic theme throughout the New Infrastructure that shall complement the surrounding environment and generally be compatible with similar features and structures located in the general vicinity... Aesthetics shall be considered in the layout and design of all roadway elements.

...the aesthetics of the New Infrastructure shall be generally compatible with the northwest and northeast legs of Stoney Trail (the “Other Legs”). The following specific aesthetic features shall be incorporated into the New Infrastructure:

• the “wild rose” emblem on abutment wingwalls facing traffic;
• the aesthetic treatment of pier shapes for roadway grade separation bridges;
• the aesthetic treatment of concrete slope protection surfaces; and
• the use of pigmented sealers (three colours) on exposed concrete surfaces.
  In addition, artistic renderings that cover a minimum of 25% of the exposed surface area shall be provided on all retaining walls except for retaining walls at railway overpasses.