Airport Trail

Last updated
Airport Trail
96 Avenue NE
Maintained by City of Calgary
Length10.4 km (6.5 mi) [1]
Location Calgary
West end Harvest Hills Boulevard
Major
junctions
East end Stoney Trail (Highway 201)

Airport Trail and 96 Avenue NE is an arterial road and developing expressway in the northeast quadrant of Calgary, Alberta. It is an important east-west roadway and is the main access route to the Calgary International Airport.

Contents

Route description

The roadway begins as 96 Avenue NE at Harvest Hills Boulevard (the dividing line between the northeast and northwest quadrants) in the residential community of Harvest Hills; it is preceded by the short collector roadway of Country Hills Road, which provides access to the residential community of Country Hills. 96 Avenue NE travels east and crosses Nose Creek before reaching an interchange with Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2) and becomes Airport Trail. It continues east along the northern edge of the Calgary International Airport, which includes two accesses to the main terminal at 19 Street NE and Barlow Trail. It passes underneath a runway along a 650-metre (2,130 ft) tunnel, crosses Métis Trail, and passes through the residential neighbourhoods of Cityscape and Saddle Ridge, before ending at a partial interchange with Stoney Trail (Highway 201).

The City of Calgary is currently constructing interchanges at 19 Street NE and Barlow Trail, as well as expanding Airport Trail between 36 Street NE and 60 Street NE, with the project scheduled to be completed in 2022. [2]

History

The western portion of 96 Avenue NE was constructed in the late 1990s/early 2000s during the development of the Harvest Hills neighbourhood, ending at Harvest Hills Link. Prior to the construction of Airport Trail, the main access to the Calgary International Airport from Deerfoot Trail (and by extension, the downtown core) was by taking McKnight Boulevard and Barlow Trail along the southern and eastern perimeters, with a northern secondary route connection provided by Country Hills Boulevard. There was an increasing need for a more direct connection to Deerfoot Trail from the main terminal, as well as a recognition that part of Barlow Trail was located within airport lands and was subject to closure as part of proposed airport expansion plans. In 2001, the section of Airport Trail between Deerfoot Trail and Barlow Trail was opened, [3] with it becoming the primary signed route to the terminal.

On April 3, 2011, the Calgary Airport Authority permanently closed Barlow Trail as part of the planned expansion and new runway construction. [4] Although plans for a tunnel had existed for a while, a final deal between the City of Calgary and the Calgary Airport Authority wasn't reached until June 2011. [5] The deal allowed for the tunnel to be constructed while the runway was also under construction, reducing the cost as opposed to tunneling under active runway. The agreement was also conditional that once Airport Trail was extended east to Métis Trail, interchanges would be constructed at 19 Street NE and Barlow Trail, so in the meantime Airport Trail ended at 36 Street NE. [5] Construction commenced and the tunnel opened in May 2014 as a six-lane tunnel with provisions for a future LRT connection. [6] The tunnel had a grand opening party on May 24 where the public could walk through the tunnel, and the event included live entertainment, a show and shine of classic and rare vehicles inside the tunnel, and speeches from dignitaries before the tunnel was opened traffic the following day. [7] [8]

In conjunction with the construction of the Airport Tunnel, 96 Avenue NE was extended east to Deerfoot Trail and linked with Airport Trail, which involved the construction of bridges over the Canadian Pacific Railway and Nose Creek. Construction began in 2011, [5] but was halted in 2012 when inspectors found deficiencies in the bridge decks and missed the original targeted opening of September 2012. [9] Remedial work was completed, and the road was opened in August 2013. [10] As part of the project, the City of Calgary mandated 1% of the total cost of the capital project be put towards public art, [11] resulting in the installation Travelling Light, a 17-metre (55 ft) tall blue sculptural ring integrated into the row of street lamps. [12] Unofficially referred to as "The Big Blue Ring", it was installed in 2013 at a cost of $471,000. [12] The artwork generated controversy for its high cost and simple design, [13] with mayor Naheed Nenshi at the time referring to it as "awful" [14] and a resident referring to it as a "huge hula-hoop with a streetlight stuck on its top." [15]

Future

The current interchanges being constructed at 19 Street and Barlow Trail are only another phase in a much larger freeway build out. Final plans include a cloverstack interchange at Deerfoot Trail with a westbound to southbound flyover. Farther east a new interchange between the 19 Street and Barlow Trail is also planned. This interchange will be large and freeflowing with multiple sets of flyovers that are planned to provide access to a short elevated freeway connecting to both the airport terminal, a service road and the parkades. To the east of the tunnel more interchanges are planned consisting of a partial cloverleaf at 36 Street, a full or partial cloverleaf at Metis Trail and a partial cloverleaf at 60th Street. The 60th Street interchange will also provide a crossing for an extension of the Blue Line LRT, this is also where the future Airport LRT will branch off from the Blue line to run on the median of the future freeway to the airport. No timeline has been set for the construction of any future phases and a lot of the plans are still being finalized. [16]

Major intersections

From west to east. The entire route is in Calgary.

km [1] miDestinationsNotes
−0.5−0.31Country Hills DriveAs Country Hills Road
0.00.0 Harvest Hills Boulevard 96 Avenue NE west end
2.41.5Crosses Nose Creek
2.51.6Alberta Highway 2.svgAlberta Highway 1.svg Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2) to Highway 1 (TCH)  – City Centre Hwy 2 exit 266; 96 Avenue NE east end, Airport Trail west end
4.02.519 Street NEEastbound exit and westbound entrance [2]
4.83.0Ontario M502.svg Barlow Trail  – Calgary International Airport Interchange [2]
5.3–
5.9		3.3–
3.7		Airport Tunnel
6.23.936 Street NE
7.04.3 Métis Trail
8.65.360 Street NE
10.46.5Alberta Highway 201.svg Stoney Trail (Highway 201)Hwy 201 exit 70; no northbound entrance
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CTrain</span> Light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta

CTrain is a light rail system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Much of the system functions as a high-capacity light metro, while in the downtown free-fare zone, trains run like a modern tram with a dedicated right-of-way. This subway-surface alignment is known as semi-metro.

Highway 2 is a major highway in Alberta that stretches from the Canada–United States border through Calgary and Edmonton to Grande Prairie. Running primarily north to south for approximately 1,273 kilometres (791 mi), it is the longest and busiest highway in the province carrying more than 180,000 vehicles per day near Downtown Calgary. The Fort Macleod—Edmonton section forms a portion of the CANAMEX Corridor that links Alaska to Mexico. More than half of Alberta's 4 million residents live in the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor created by Highway 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deerfoot Trail</span> Freeway in Calgary

Deerfoot Trail is a 46.4-kilometre (28.8 mi) freeway segment of Highway 2 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It stretches the entire length of the city from south to north and links suburbs to downtown via Memorial Drive and 17 Avenue SE. The freeway begins south of Calgary where it splits from Macleod Trail, crosses the Bow River into city limits, and reaches the Stoney Trail ring road. Crisscrossing twice more with the river, it intersects Glenmore Trail and Memorial Drive; the former is a major east–west expressway while the latter is a freeway spur into downtown. In north Calgary, it crosses Highway 1 and passes Calgary International Airport before ending at a second interchange with Stoney Trail. Highway 2 becomes the Queen Elizabeth II Highway as it continues north into Rocky View County towards Red Deer and Edmonton.

Highway 2A is the designation of six alternate routes off Highway 2 in Alberta, Canada. In general, these are original sections of Highway 2, such as the southern portion of Macleod Trail in Calgary. They passed through communities before limited-access freeways were built to shorten driving distance, accommodate heavier volumes and to bypass city traffic. Portions of the alignment of Highway 2A follow the route of the former Calgary and Edmonton Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stoney Trail</span> Freeway in Calgary, Alberta

Highway 201, better known by its official names of Stoney Trail and Tsuut'ina Trail, is a 101-kilometre (63 mi) freeway that encircles Calgary, Alberta. It serves as a bypass for the congested routes of 16 Avenue N and Deerfoot Trail through Calgary. At its busiest point near Beddington Trail in north Calgary, the six-lane freeway carried nearly 70,000 vehicles per day in 2023, and forms part of the CANAMEX Corridor which connects Calgary to Edmonton and Interstate 15 in the United States via Highways 2, 3, and 4.

Highway 1 is a major east–west highway in southern Alberta that forms the southern mainline of the Trans-Canada Highway. It runs from the British Columbia border near Lake Louise through Calgary to the Saskatchewan border east of Medicine Hat. It continues as Highway 1 into both provinces. It spans approximately 534 km (332 mi) from Alberta's border with British Columbia in the west to its border with Saskatchewan in the east. Highway 1 is designated as a core route in Canada's National Highway System and is a core part of the developing Alberta Freeway Network.

The city of Calgary, Alberta, has a large transportation network that encompasses a variety of road, rail, air, public transit, and pedestrian infrastructure. Calgary is also a major Canadian transportation centre and a central cargo hub for freight in and out of north-western North America. The city sits at the junction between the "Canamex" highway system and the Trans-Canada Highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memorial Drive (Calgary)</span> Road in Calgary

Memorial Drive is a major road in Calgary, Alberta. Aside from its important role in city infrastructure, the tree lined sides of Memorial Drive serve as a living testament to the many local soldiers who died during World War I and give it a parkway look on the western section. An active path system also runs along the south side of Memorial Drive, beside the banks of the Bow River. The Calgary Soldiers' Memorial forms part of an extensive renovation to Memorial Drive, which heightens the function of the road as a monument to the city's military. The Landscape of Memory Project began in 2004, in order to revitalize a nine kilometre stretch of the road. The design incorporated "Poppy Plaza" at the corner of Memorial Drive and 10th Street NW. The plaza used "weathered steel" to create large gateways, and the plaza and adjacent river walk were lined with the same rusted metal into which quotes about the Canadian experiences of war were cut. The Peace Bridge was incorporated into the remembrance theme of Memorial Drive, though there are no explanatory plaques at the site of the bridge.

Glenmore Trail is a 22-kilometre (14 mi) expressway in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, named after the reservoir which it crosses. It is a freeway between Sarcee Trail in southwest Calgary to Ogden Road in the southeast, carrying nearly 160,000 vehicles per weekday at its busiest point placing it second only to Deerfoot Trail as the busiest road in Alberta. East of Calgary, Glenmore Trail becomes Highway 560 en route to Langdon.

John Laurie Boulevard / McKnight Boulevard is a major east-west arterial road and expressway in north Calgary, Alberta. The two roadways function together as a major crosstown route between the northwest and northeast quadrants and are part of Calgary's Skeletal Road Network.

Barlow Trail is a major arterial road in Calgary, Alberta, that is composed of three parts: the southern section which runs from Deerfoot Trail near 130 Avenue SE to Deerfoot Trail at the intersection with Peigan Trail. The afore mentioned section is the central section which runs from 17 Avenue SE to McCall Way; and the northern section which runs from Airport Road to 128 Avenue NE.

Blackfoot Trail is a super-4 expressway in Calgary, Alberta. It is named for the Blackfoot Confederacy, and more specifically the Siksika Nation, located east of Calgary. The road runs from 17 Avenue SE in the north, where Blackfoot Trail meets Deerfoot Trail, to Southland Drive in the south. It is the historical alignment of Highway 2 in south Calgary. The section of Blackfoot Trail between 19 Street SE and Deerfoot Trail is a former alignment, and still technically part of, 17 Avenue SE; however, it is generally referred to as being part of Blackfoot Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bow Trail</span> Expressway in the southwest quadrant of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Bow Trail is an expressway in the southwest quadrant of Calgary, Alberta. It gets its name from the Bow River, which runs through the city north of the road itself. It runs from downtown Calgary, where the westbound traffic continues from 6 Avenue SW and eastbound traffic becomes 9 Avenue SW, to 85 Street SW.

Cityscape is a residential neighbourhood in the northeast quadrant of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is bounded by Métis Trail to the west, Country Hills Boulevard to the north, the future 60 Street NE extension to the east, and the future Airport Trail NE extension to the south. Country Hills Boulevard becomes Highway 564 as it exits Calgary to the east. It was developed in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16 Avenue N</span> Road in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

16 Avenue N is a major road in Calgary, Alberta, that forms a 26.5-kilometre (16.5 mi) segment of Highway 1 and connects Calgary to Banff and Medicine Hat. It is a four to six-lane principal arterial expressway at its extremities, but is an urban arterial road between the Bow River and Bowness Road, and also between Crowchild Trail and Deerfoot Trail. Due to Calgary's quadrant system, it is known as 16 Avenue NW west of Centre Street and 16 Avenue NE to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">17 Avenue SE (Calgary)</span> Road in Calgary, Alberta

17 Avenue SE is a major arterial road in east Calgary, Alberta. 17 Avenue SE is the focal point of the International Avenue Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) and the main roadway through the former town of Forest Lawn. Chestermere Boulevard is a major arterial road and the eastern extension of 17 Avenue SE through Chestermere, Alberta, Canada. The roadway is a former alignment of Highway 1A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Line (Calgary)</span> Light rail line in Calgary, Alberta

The Blue Line, also known as Route 202, is a light rail transit (LRT) line in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Partnered with the Red Line, and future Green Line it makes up Calgary's CTrain network. Following its initial approval in 1976, the Red Line opened in 1981, with the first trains running on what is now the Blue Line in 1985.

The Green Line, also known as Route 203, is a proposed expansion of the light rail (LRT) network in Calgary, Alberta, planned to run between Calgary's north-central and southeastern boundaries, connecting with the Red Line and Blue Line in the city's downtown. The Green Line would be the largest public infrastructure project in Calgary's history and the first rail line in the city to operate low-floor trains if built. If completed, the full vision of the Green Line would comprise 29 stations spanning 46 kilometres (29 mi), bringing the total number of CTrain stations in Calgary to 74.

36 Street E, Métis Trail, and Dwight McLellan Trail is a major arterial road in eastern Calgary and Rocky View County, Alberta. It connects with residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors in northeast Calgary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAX Purple</span> Bus route in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

MAX Purple, also known as Route 307 or the 17 Avenue SE BRT, is a bus rapid transit line in Calgary, Alberta. Part of Calgary Transit's MAX network, it largely travels east along 17 Avenue SE from downtown Calgary.

References

  1. 1 2 "Airport Trail in Calgary, Alberta" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Airport Trail N.E. - Phase 2". Transportation Infrastructure. City of Calgary. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  3. ↑ Transportation Infrastructure Management System: Existing Structures in the Provincial Highway Corridor (PDF). Alberta Transportation (Report). Government of Alberta. p. 31. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Section of Barlow Trail closed". CBC News. CBC. April 4, 2011. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "Airport tunnel deal finalized". CBC News. CBC. June 17, 2011. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  6. ↑ Dippel, Scott (May 21, 2014). "Calgary airport tunnel by the numbers". CBC News. CBC. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  7. ↑ White, Ryan (May 24, 2014). "Thousands flock to grand opening of Airport Trail tunnel". CTV Calgary. CTV. Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  8. ↑ Kwan, Shelton (May 24, 2014). "Calgary Airport Trail Tunnel Grand Opening". beyond.ca. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  9. ↑ Markusoff, Jason (February 5, 2013). "Bridge problems stall opening of northeast airport link". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on February 7, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  10. ↑ "96 Avenue N.E. Extension Opens". City of Calgary Newsroom. City of Calgary. August 6, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  11. ↑ Corporate Public Art Policy (PDF) (Report). City of Calgary. February 4, 2004. CSPS014 | CPS2003-95. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  12. 1 2 "Travelling Light - Public Artwork". Calgary Recreation. City of Calgary. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  13. ↑ Tayor, Lucas (April 4, 2018). "Art in YYC: the infamous 'Travelling Light' AKA The Blue Ring (PHOTOS)". Daily Hive. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Mayor calls $470K blue ring billed as public art 'awful'". CBC News. CBC. October 8, 2013. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  15. ↑ Klingbeil, Annalise (September 23, 2016). "'Every time I see it, I still get mad.' - Calgary's big blue ring turns three years old". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on November 6, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  16. ↑ MMM Group (2012). "96 Avenue N.E. (Airport Trail)" (PDF). City of Calgary.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.