Stoney Trail Ring Road a Good Thing For Calgary

Calgary's Stoney Trail is Much Need Infrastructure

I think most of us locals have used one of the completed sections of Calgary’s Stoney Trail ring road at one point or another and have wondered when it will be finished.

Let’s face it, driving down this three to four lane highway is like cutting bread with a bread knife – it’s extremely efficient and with growing traffic demands in Calgary it’s about time.

Any day now the new southeastern section spanning from Macleod Trail to 17th Avenue SE should be open for use. A few finishing touches and safety inspections are all that stand in the way.

Quick Facts

• $769 million dollar price tag for the soon to open southeast section

• Be completely free-flowing, no traffic lights

• Will mark 70 percent completion of Calgary’s entire ring road project

• Will extend from the current 17th Avenue SE and Stoney Trail intersection on the eastern side of Calgary all the way to the Highway 22X and Macleod Trail interchange in the southeast

• 25 kilometers of three lane highway in two directions

• 27 bridges, 9 interchanges

• Project by Chinook Roads Partnership and the Alberta Government

• Chinook Roads Partnership has been awarded the contract to design, construct, partly finance and maintain southeastern section of Stoney Trail. The company has agreed to maintain the road for 30 years after 2010

Location

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3 Reasons to Love Stoney Trail

While many newspapers tell you about the delays and negative traffic implications that the ring road has caused elsewhere in Calgary, let me share three reasons why Stoney Trail is a great thing for our city…

#1 – Easy Access

First off, the ring road will provide an efficient alternative to using main city routes when travelling to other city quadrants. Crowchild, Glenmore, Macleod and Deerfoot will be alleviated from some of their traffic. It will be especially useful for those living in the suburbs, such as residents of Evanston for example.

#2 – Infrastructure

Second, it is much needed infrastructure that will support the rapid economic and population growth of Calgary. Visitors and goods coming in and out of the city will have easier access to most locations.

#3 - Economy

Third, the new road has already stimulated the economy by creating construction and maintenance jobs. Still missing is another 30 percent of the ring road that will create even more job opportunities in the future.

I Love Calgary

All in all, the ring road will make getting from point A to point B much easier, especially if point B happens to be on the other side of town! I am looking forward to using the new southeast section as soon as it opens.

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