Residents invited to provide input about major interchange

The public is invited to an open house to give input on the future of an interchange that will be located between Range Road 33 and Stoney Trail, west of Calgary.

Alberta Transportation has retained CastleGlenn Consultants Inc. to undertake a functional planning study to determine the ultimate requirements of the Highway 1 corridor.

Arthur Gordon, consultant project manager for CastleGlenn, said he hopes the public will attend to be informed about the project, but also to give suggestions about where they would like to see the interchange located.

“It will be an informative session for sure, but it’s also important to point out that an assessment of the interchange, currently known as the Old Banff Coach Road interchange, showed that there’s about 10 years left in the structure,” he said.

“That’s not to say that it’s going to fall apart, it just means that it will be at a point where maintenance no longer makes sense and a new interchange is required.”

Gordon said the main question CastleGlenn will be asking people is where they would like to see the interchange located.

“We want to know if people think it’s in the right location currently, or whether there is a better location,” he said. “We have no idea where the best location is, so we want to consult with people and find out if leaving it there is acceptable, or if we should start doing studies to find out where to move it.”

Gordon said residents will also be consulted on what the interchange will look like.

‘The one there is quite old, almost half a century,” he said. “The design standards in the 40s and 50s don’t compare to what they are now, it will have to be bigger and wider to accommodate the trucks on the road today.”

Gordon said he hopes to get the word out about the open house to those who live in the area, stakeholders and users of the highway.

“It’s a major route and everyone has a stake in regards to what it will look like,” he said. “We encourage people to come out and find out more about it and provide their input.”

The open house will be held on June 13 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Springbank Park For All Seasons, located at 32224A, Springbank Road in Calgary.