Ring Road To Nowhere

[timun]

For anyone curious about the design of the signage, see http://www.transportation.alberta.ca...ule18-AppE.pdf

[boosterjuice]

Just bumping this thread. Anyone have any updates on when they're going to open up the Tsuu'Tina to 22x section? I have to drive by there twice a day and I'm still not sure why they couldn't have opened it up last fall. Everything appears to be finished.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by boosterjuice

Just bumping this thread. Anyone have any updates on when they're going to open up the Tsuu'Tina to 22x section? I have to drive by there twice a day and I'm still not sure why they couldn't have opened it up last fall. Everything appears to be finished.

I think the plan is still fall of 2021

[Robbob]

Yeah, I think the general sense was they don't really have an incentive to open it early so they will take their time and open it on schedule. It will be nice if they can get it opened in the summer.

[Acey]

They're making good progress but there's lots of stuff that wasn't ready to go on October 1, mostly bridges at interchanges on 22X. And yeah the way the contracts are structured don't have any real incentive for opening early.

[Ducay]

Anyone know if on the west leg, that there is really no way to access SB Stoney from Old Banff, and then no way to access NB Stoney from 17th Ave SW?

Both seem to have more than enough room for the access, and seems like (yet another) asinine design decision that will eventually get fixed for way more money in the future. (looking at you Stoney @ 69th St interchange disaster)

[Joborule]

So any guesses to how much bank CPS is making from the speed trap where it goes 60km on an expressway from Sarcee to 37th Street? How...idiotic.

Tsuut'ina Parkway is open for traffic, so SB Sarcee traffic can access the casino on that road. Therefore they will not keep the road on Glenmore permanently 60km...right?

[#-3]

Originally Posted by Joborule

So any guesses to how much bank CPS is making from the speed trap where it goes 60km on an expressway from Sarcee to 37th Street? How...idiotic.

Tsuut'ina Parkway is open for traffic, so SB Sarcee traffic can access the casino on that road. Therefore they will not keep the road on Glenmore permanently 60km...right?

It's been like that taking 16th out of town on the east side for like 15 years.

70-90-70-110 in like half a KM stretch, and the road is clearly built to be like 100 to 120 the whole way.

[FlamesKickAss]

Originally Posted by #-3

It's been like that taking 16th out of town on the east side for like 15 years.

70-90-70-110 in like half a KM stretch, and the road is clearly built to be like 100 to 120 the whole way.

And that last 70 is just before and intersection to just after it.... With a speed camera on it.. So frustrating

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Anyone know if on the west leg, that there is really no way to access SB Stoney from Old Banff, and then no way to access NB Stoney from 17th Ave SW?

Both seem to have more than enough room for the access, and seems like (yet another) asinine design decision that will eventually get fixed for way more money in the future. (looking at you Stoney @ 69th St interchange disaster)

Yah you have to go from Bow trail apparently. Terrible design.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Anyone know if on the west leg, that there is really no way to access SB Stoney from Old Banff, and then no way to access NB Stoney from 17th Ave SW?

Both seem to have more than enough room for the access, and seems like (yet another) asinine design decision that will eventually get fixed for way more money in the future. (looking at you Stoney @ 69th St interchange disaster)

That is correct. The only access to both SB and NB Stoney would be through Bow. I think the argument was that there isn't enough land, but I have no idea if that is true or not, as there seems like lots and it is all part of the transportation corridor.

[Muffins]

My guess would be the issue is the distance between Bow/17th and Bow/Old Banff isn't far enough to make proper highway intersections going all directions.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by FlamesKickAss

And that last 70 is just before and intersection to just after it.... With a speed camera on it.. So frustrating

I got a ticket there a couple years ago. It's obviously ridiculous, and just generates cash for the city.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Muffins

My guess would be the issue is the distance between Bow/17th and Bow/Old Banff isn't far enough to make proper highway intersections going all directions.

Yes, correct. It's the exact same issue we discussed ad nauseum at 69 St/Discovery Ridge, 130 Ave SW, Sheriff King St for 5 pages in here. When seemingly obvious accesses are missing entirely or loop ramps are built instead of normal straight for no apparent reason, y'all should know why by now.

I'm still not sure the speed limit gongshow at Sarcee/Glenmore is in its final form. Waiting for this fall to see the final configuration.

[Madman]

Why has all construction been completely halted on Macleod Trail from 162 to 194 for months now?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Madman

Why has all construction been completely halted on Macleod Trail from 162 to 194 for months now?

It’s cheaper to construct in warmer weather so if they are on schedule to meet the contracted date and have no incentives you wouldn’t rush and do concrete work in the cold.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Both seem to have more than enough room for the access, and seems like (yet another) asinine design decision that will eventually get fixed for way more money in the future. (looking at you Stoney @ 69th St interchange disaster)

I'm not entirely sure any of these will need to be fixed, ever... especially 69 Street unless we one day decide Tsuu T'ina no longer exists. Measuring the distance on Google Maps, it's all about the same:

69 St to Westhills Way = 1600 meters
17 Ave to Bow Trail = 1600 meters
Bow Trail to Old Banff Coach = 1600 meters

So it is in fact the same asinine decision made for all 3 that is actually one singular decision to adhere to a) the prioritization of mainline traffic on ring roads and b) the arguably conservative Highway Design Guide standards for a speed of 110 kph. Neither parameter is specific to the Calgary ring road. So there's a few options. #1 is the "way more money in the future" fix you suggest, i.e. braided ramps. In the case of the west leg there is room but those could never be justified for the anticipated volume of traffic in a ~30 year horizon. Option #2 is to include the accesses with a reduced mainline speed limit of 80 kph which would cause a similar uproar in here. Option #3 is to leave out the accesses, keep mainline at 100 and save a bunch of money.

The new 16 Ave NW/Stoney interchange currently being rebuilt is one of the most complex interchanges in Canada, and arguably the most complex interchange Alberta has built next to Henday/Yellowhead NE. There is clearly no lack of design skill in either ring road given the constraints, keeping in mind that things like the sudden narrowing of NB Stoney at 17 Ave SE from 4 lanes to 2 is a funding decision and not a fault in the ultimate design.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Any idea on when the 14th St overpass in the north will be complete? Seems like progress has completely stalled on construction there now for several months

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Any idea on when the 14th St overpass in the north will be complete? Seems like progress has completely stalled on construction there now for several months

Scheduled shut down for the season after work finished in December. Restarting in spring, so should be shortly, to be completed by summer, so maybe August. Doesn't look like they have a ton left.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Acey

They're making good progress but there's lots of stuff that wasn't ready to go on October 1, mostly bridges at interchanges on 22X. And yeah the way the contracts are structured don't have any real incentive for opening early.

And as I understand it contract companies are the on the hook for MAJOR fines when things aren't done properly, on top of having to the do the work again at their expense. So I could definitely see the contractor saying "We have free time, that thing doesn't ****ing open until we've gone over it a thousand times with a fine tooth comb".