Airport Tunnel Rejected Again? **UPDATE** It's built!

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by T@T

No, it's local access for the south. not sure if it'll ever have public access to the northern part of YYC.

There will never be public access to McCall Way from the north. That's quite impractical after the current round of expansion. The tunnel I mentioned is there to maintain 1 access to the land around WestJet. Any accesses from other directions would be far more complicated and expensive.

That land will now be completely surrounded by taxiway. To the west and east, there is runway and taxiways. To the North, there is terminal and multiple taxiways. To the south, there will be only one taxiway, and that's why the one access goes that way, now in a tunnel.

[KelVarnsen]

I went up there today to see what had happened. Totally misread the You Need a Thneed's post.

I must say, I miss the north part of McCall Way. But that has been for a while now.

[You Need a Thneed]

I'm curious as to how you interpreted my post (which post?). For any misunderstanding, I'm sorry!

[KelVarnsen]

I read it is the airport tunnel was connected to McWall Way, now I realize its an underpass.

[You Need a Thneed]

Today the city turned over the remaining portions above the tunnel to the airport authority. On time, so the city incurred none of the potential late penalties.

Still officially on track for a May 2014 opening, though I still think it might be open before that.


If you search for "airport tunnel" on twitter, you can find lots of pictures of inside the tunnel and of the entrances.

[You Need a Thneed]

Tunnel Construction makes deadline. - Calgary Herald Article

[You Need a Thneed]

A couple more - courtesy of the Calgary Sun:

[Bigtime]

I'm hoping there will be a spot where someone like myself could park the car and get some shots of the tunnel in action with air traffic over top.

The pessimist in me thinks that in this ultra paranoid world a few minutes after setting up with my camera I'd have a visit from the cops though...

[Bobblehead]

Wait - they have brand new pavement and they are already tearing a hole in it?
There will be a bump there until they repave that 20 years from now.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Wait - they have brand new pavement and they are already tearing a hole in it?
There will be a bump there until they repave that 20 years from now.

Stuff like that is done on nearly every project. Paving is relatively cheap, it probably would have cost more to leave that spot out when doing the original paving.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I'm hoping there will be a spot where someone like myself could park the car and get some shots of the tunnel in action with air traffic over top.

The pessimist in me thinks that in this ultra paranoid world a few minutes after setting up with my camera I'd have a visit from the cops though...

In the future, I'd just pull over beside the road on Airport Trail east of 36th St. It should be even more up on the hill - above runway level. Or pull into the commercial/retail area that will be just north of there and park there.

[Bobblehead]

I know, but I always wonder what is being done that couldn't have been done before the rest of it was laid.

I full understand sometimes sh** happens, but it seems like this happens on nearly every project so, at some point, you would think, "Hey, maybe would should schedule that utility BEFORE we lay the asphalt"

Or is there something in the process that is going to screw up the other regardless of the order?

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I know, but I always wonder what is being done that couldn't have been done before the rest of it was laid.

I full understand sometimes sh** happens, but it seems like this happens on nearly every project so, at some point, you would think, "Hey, maybe would should schedule that utility BEFORE we lay the asphalt"

Or is there something in the process that is going to screw up the other regardless of the order?

Usually last minute changes by engineering, material delivery late, or a deficiency that needs to be fixed.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I know, but I always wonder what is being done that couldn't have been done before the rest of it was laid.

I full understand sometimes sh** happens, but it seems like this happens on nearly every project so, at some point, you would think, "Hey, maybe would should schedule that utility BEFORE we lay the asphalt"

Or is there something in the process that is going to screw up the other regardless of the order?

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Usually last minute changes by engineering, material delivery late, or a deficiency that needs to be fixed.

It will often happen where something big needs to be done for the scheduling, but there's something small that "should" be done before it, but isn't - for one of many good reasons. Do you wait to do the big thing so that the small thing can be completed? No, you would blow your schedule.

Often, it's just cheaper and faster to finish the whole surface, then cut holes in it, than to leave the holes in the first place. It's just how it is.

It's also why asphalt is done in several "lifts" - coats. There's a final lift to go on yet, which will be done when everything else is done. For many projects, the final lift isn't even done until several years after the project opens, just in case there's some settling somewhere.

[Table 5]

I was hoping the tunnel would look a little more interesting from the inside. It's a little plain jane...although perhaps there's some cool tiling still to come.

Nevertheless, I look forward to downshifting and revving the crap out of my car inside of it.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I was hoping the tunnel would look a little more interesting from the inside. It's a little plain jane...although perhaps there's some cool tiling still to come.

I'd say it's plane jane.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I was hoping the tunnel would look a little more interesting from the inside. It's a little plain jane...although perhaps there's some cool tiling still to come.

Nevertheless, I look forward to downshifting and revving the crap out of my car inside of it.

Can you imagine the rage if they spent money on beautification?

[Regulator75]

I know the answer is probably buried in this thread somewhere...

How long is the tunnel and what will be the posted speed limit?

I foresee myself doing some cool long exposure shots from the tunnel once it's opens.

[Acey]

620 metres. If I were to guess at the speed limit... 60? 70?

[Tyler]

Kudos to the City and YYC for the progress they've made.

Remember when people were going apeshart about how this was a terrible idea? Going to be a key piece of NE infrastructure for decades