The City of Calgary has a number of bridges, spanning the two main rivers that cross the city, Bow River and Elbow River, as well as some other geographical and physical features.
The first building in Calgary was erected in 1872 by Alexis Cardinal, at the request of Fr Constantine Scollen, an Oblate missionary priest, at the confluence of the two rivers.
The Bow River enters the city from west, winds around downtown, then runs south. From west to south, the following structures cross the river.
Bridge | Carries | Length | Built | Coordinates | Image | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bearspaw Dam | Utility | 1954 | 51°06′04″N114°16′57″W / 51.10124°N 114.28251°W | Dam on Calgary's west limits, east of Bearspaw; built in 1954, [1] owned and maintained by TransAlta | ||
Stoney Trail Bow River Bridges | Stoney Trail | 476 m | 1997/2023 | 51°05′53″N114°13′56″W / 51.09798°N 114.23219°W | Between Trans Canada Highway and Tuscany; The northbound bridges lower pedestrian deck connects to the south and north Bow River pathways | |
85 St NW Bridge | 85 Street NW | 51°05′53″N114°12′38″W / 51.09794°N 114.21052°W | Between Bowness and Scenic Acres | |||
Bowness Pedestrian Bridge | Pathway | 51°05′52″N114°12′05″W / 51.09785°N 114.20138°W | Connects Bow River pathways between Bowmont Park Natural Area and Bowness | |||
Bowness Railway Bridge | Canadian Pacific Railway | 51°05′53″N114°12′00″W / 51.09797°N 114.20002°W | ||||
John Hextall Bridge | Pedestrian/Cycle | 1910 [2] | 51°04′43″N114°10′20″W / 51.07869°N 114.17229°W | Between Bowness and Montgomery; parallels Shouldice Bridge and is used for pedestrian and bicycle traffic only; originally carried a streetcar. | ||
Shouldice Bridge | Bowness Road NW | 51°04′43″N114°10′20″W / 51.07863°N 114.17236°W | Between Bowness, Shouldice Park and Montgomery | |||
TCH Bridge | 16 Avenue NW | 51°04′38″N114°10′39″W / 51.07722°N 114.17745°W | Between Sarcee Trail and Montgomery | |||
Harry Boothman Bridge | Pedestrian | 51°03′53″N114°09′16″W / 51.06464°N 114.15453°W | Pedestrian alley in Edworthy Park, between the Bow River pathways; named for Harry Boothman. superintendent and director of Calgary Parks from 1958 to 1976 | |||
Crowchild Trail Bridge | Crowchild Trail | 51°02′49″N114°06′54″W / 51.04686°N 114.11494°W | Between Shaganappi and Kensington, lower pedestrian deck connects pathways on each side of the river | |||
Mewata Bridge | 14 Street W | 1954 [2] | 51°02′53″N114°05′41″W / 51.04801°N 114.09471°W | Between Kensington and Sunalta | ||
Bridge | Carries | Length | Built | Coordinates | Image | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cushing Bridge | Blackfoot Trail SE / 17 Avenue SE | 51°02′14″N114°00′46″W / 51.03736°N 114.01280°W | Connects Inglewood with Forest Lawn; named after William Henry Cushing, Calgary mayor from 1900 to 1901 [3] | ||||
CPR Bonnybrook Bridge | Canadian Pacific Railway | 51°00′51″N114°00′44″W / 51.014254°N 114.012294°W | Pony truss railroad bridge, connects three main tracks (P-1 mainline, P-2 lead and Old Ogden lead) with CPR Alyth Yard. The bridge is partially collapsed after flooding of Bow River in June 2013. [6] Steel bridge added in 1971. and Old Ogden lead, | ||||
CNR Bow River Bridge | Canadian National Railway | 51°00′52″N114°00′41″W / 51.014403°N 114.011521°W | Through truss bridge has a single track. | ||||
Bonnybrook Bridge | Ogden Road SE | 51°00′46″N114°00′46″W / 51.01290°N 114.01284°W | Vehicular bridge carries Ogden Road and connects Alyth with Foothills Industrial Park | ||||
Calf Robe Bridge | Deerfoot Trail | 51°00′31″N114°01′07″W / 51.00856°N 114.01869°W | Connects Deerfoot trail from Glenmore Trail to Peigan Road; named after Ben Calf Robe, a Siksika chief | ||||
Canadian National Bridge | CN Railway | 51°00′16″N114°01′19″W / 51.00437°N 114.02195°W | Connects Canadian Pacific Railway to Canadian National Railway | ||||
Graves Bridges | Glenmore Trail | 50°59′12″N114°01′29″W / 50.98658°N 114.02466°W | Connects Alyth to Riverbend and Ogden, leads to Highway 8 east; twinned in 2009 [7] | ||||
Eric Harvie Bridge | Pedestrian | 50°58′10″N114°01′33″W / 50.96957°N 114.02575°W | Connects Southland Drive and Acadia to Riverbend | ||||
Lafarge Bridge | Road | 50°57′23″N114°01′23″W / 50.95651°N 114.02295°W | Connects Lafarge cement plant to Douglasglen. Damaged in 2005 flood, subsequently removed. | ||||
Ivor Strong Bridge | Deerfoot Trail | 50°57′09″N114°01′14″W / 50.95259°N 114.02058°W | Connects Maple Ridge to Douglasdale at the Anderson Road alignment; named after John Ivor Strong, Chief Commissioner for the City of Calgary from 1965 to 1971 | ||||
Douglasdale Park Pedestrian Bridge | Pedestrian | 50°56′27″N114°00′40″W / 50.94090°N 114.01109°W | Connects Douglasdale Park to Queensland | ||||
McKenzie Pedestrian Bridge | Pedestrian | 50°54′42″N113°59′54″W / 50.91178°N 113.99827°W | Connects Deer Ridge with McKenzie Lake | ||||
Marquis de Lorne Bridges | Stoney Trail | 2009/2023 [8] | 50°53′40″N114°00′34″W / 50.89435°N 114.00937°W | Connects Stoney Trail from Sundance and Chaparral across Fish Creek Provincial Park to McKenzie Lake and Cranston | |||
Chapparal Pedestrian Bridge | Pedestrian | 2023 | 50°53′31″N114°00′27″W / 50.891817°N 114.007419°W | Connects Chapparal to Cranston | |||
Dunbow Bridges | Deerfoot Trail | 50°51′15″N113°58′15″W / 50.85420°N 113.97095°W | Connects Deerfoot Trail to Macleod Trail south of Calgary, between Cranston/Seton and Heritage Pointe | ||||
The Elbow River enters the city in the southwest, then turns north and merges into the Bow River immediately east of downtown. From west to north, the following structures cross the river.
Bridge | Carries | Length | Built | Coordinates | Image | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Twin Bridges | Highway 8 | 51°01′01″N114°14′25″W / 51.01693°N 114.24017°W | Highway 8 named Stoney Trail east of this point | |||
Weaselhead Road Bridge | Weasel Head Road | 50°59′33″N114°10′06″W / 50.992513°N 114.168360°W | Private bridge for road traffic, inside the limits of the Tsuut'ina Nation reserve | |||
Tsuu'tina Trail Bridges | Tsuu'tina Trail | 50°59′33″N114°10′06″W / 50.992513°N 114.168360°W | Bridges going north and southbound on Tsuu'tina Trail over the Elbow | |||
Barry Erskine Bridge | Pedestrian | 50°59′29″N114°8′48″W / 50.99139°N 114.14667°W | Bridge within the Weaslehead Natural Area | |||
Glenmore Trail Causeway | Glenmore Trail | 50°59′43″N114°05′57″W / 50.99530°N 114.09928°W | Crosses the Glenmore Reservoir | |||
Glenmore Dam | Pedestrian, maintenance road | 1933 | 51°00′00″N114°05′50″W / 50.99990°N 114.09715°W | Dam, created Glenmore Reservoir, allows pedestrian access and maintenance vehicles (no public vehicle access) along Glenmore Bridge Rd. | ||
Sandy Beach Bridge | Pedestrian | 1959 [9] | 51°00′43″N114°05′31″W / 51.01199°N 114.09182°W | Connects River Park (in Altadore) and Riverdale Park (in Britannia) | ||
Elbow Park Britannia Pedestrian Bridge | Pedestrian | 51°01′08″N114°04′59″W / 51.01887°N 114.08317°W | Connects Elbow River bike and pathway; between Elbow Park and Britannia | |||
Elbow Drive Bridge | Elbow Drive | 51°01′04″N114°04′40″W / 51.01786°N 114.07788°W | Connects the neighbourhoods of Elbow Park and Britannia | |||
Elbow Park Rideau Park Pedestrian Bridge | Pedestrian | 51°01′30″N114°04′40″W / 51.02495°N 114.07779°W | Connects Elbow River bike and pathway; between Elbow Park and Rideau Park | |||
4 St SW Bridge | 4 Street SW | 51°01′46″N114°04′17″W / 51.02934°N 114.07152°W | Connects the neighbourhoods of Mission and Roxboro | |||
Scollen Bridge | 25 Avenue SW | 51°01′49″N114°03′48″W / 51.03041°N 114.06343°W | Connects the neighbourhoods of Mission and Erlton | |||
21 Ave SW MNP Pedestrian Bridge | Pedestrian | 51°02′03″N114°04′03″W / 51.03421°N 114.06751°W | Between 21 Ave SW and the MNP Community & Sport Centre grounds | |||
19 Ave SW MNP Pedestrian Bridge | Pedestrian | 51°02′09″N114°03′55″W / 51.03588°N 114.06538°W | Between 19 Ave SW (behind St. Mary's Cathedral and the MNP Community & Sport Centre grounds | |||
Pattison Bridge | Macleod Trail South | 51°02′10″N114°03′41″W / 51.03600°N 114.06126°W | Between Mission and MNP Community & Sport Centre, named for John George Pattison, Victoria Cross recipient of the 50th Battalion, CEF. [10] | |||
Victoria Bridge | Macleod Trail North | 51°02′04″N114°03′33″W / 51.03448°N 114.05911°W | Between Mission and MNP Community & Sport Centre | |||
Macleod Train Bridge | C-Train | 51°2′2″N114°3′32″W / 51.03389°N 114.05889°W | Between Mission and MNP Community & Sport Centre | |||
Stampede Trail Bridge | Stampede Trail SE | 51°01′58″N114°03′24″W / 51.03265°N 114.05675°W | Provides entry into the Calgary Stampede grounds and access to the Stampede Grandstand | |||
Stampede Ground Bridge | maintenance road | 51°1′52″N114°3′2″W / 51.03111°N 114.05056°W | Provides access Calgary Stampede ground buildings | |||
Stampede Ground Bridge | maintenance road | 51°1′53″N114°3′1″W / 51.03139°N 114.05028°W | Provides access Calgary Stampede ground buildings | |||
Saddledome Trail Bridge | Pedestrian | 51°2′13″N114°2′59″W / 51.03694°N 114.04972°W | Provides entry into the Calgary Stampede grounds and access to the Scotiabank Saddledome | |||
Agriculture Trail Bridge | Agriculture Trail SE | 51°02′19″N114°02′55″W / 51.03858°N 114.04873°W | Service road from Calgary Stampede grounds | |||
Macdonald Avenue Bridge | Macdonald Avenue SE | 1911 | 51°02′29″N114°02′41″W / 51.04132°N 114.04474°W | Connects the neighbourhoods of Victoria Park and Ramsay | ||
Canadian Pacific Rail Bridge (Inglewood) | Canadian Pacific Railway | 51°02′35″N114°02′34″W / 51.04318°N 114.04287°W | Connects the Canadian Pacific Railway downtown yard with the CPR Alyth Yard | |||
9 Ave SE (Inglewood) Bridge | 9 Avenue SE | 2022 | 51°02′37″N114°02′34″W / 51.04363°N 114.04277°W | Original bridge was built in 1909 and demolished in 2019 to make room for its replacement (pictured). The Bridge provides access between Downtown East Village and Inglewood | ||
Fish Creek flows from west to east in the south part of the city, through the Fish Creek Provincial Park. It merges into the Bow River in the southeast quadrant of the city.
Bow Back Rivers or Stratford Back Rivers is a complex of waterways between Bow and Stratford in east London, England, which connect the River Lea to the River Thames. Starting in the twelfth century, works were carried out to drain Stratford Marshes and several of the waterways were constructed to power watermills. Bow Creek provided the final outfall to the Thames, and the other channels were called Abbey Creek, Channelsea River, City Mill River, Prescott Channel, Pudding Mill River, Saint Thomas Creek, Three Mills Back River, Three Mills Wall River and Waterworks River.
The Glenmore Reservoir is a large reservoir on the Elbow River in the southwest quadrant of Calgary, Alberta. It is controlled by the Glenmore Dam, a concrete gravity dam on the Elbow River. The Glenmore Reservoir is a primary source of drinking water to the city of Calgary. Built in 1932, with a cost of $3.8 million, the dam controls the downstream flow of the Elbow River, thus allowing the city to develop property near the river's banks with less risk of flooding.
Fish Creek Park is an urban provincial park that preserves the valley of Fish Creek in the southern part of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is bordered on three sides by the city, and on the west by the territory of the Tsuu T’ina Nation (Sarcee), a First Nation.
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.
The Elbow River is a river in southern Alberta, Canada. It flows from the Canadian Rockies to the city of Calgary, where it merges into the Bow River.
Alberta Provincial Highway No. 201, officially named Stoney Trail and Tsuut'ina Trail, is a 101-kilometre (63 mi) freeway that encircles the city of 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 60,000 vehicles per day in 2022, 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.
Alberta Provincial Highway No. 22, commonly referred to as Highway 22 and officially named Cowboy Trail, is a 584-kilometre (363 mi) highway in the Canadian province of Alberta. It generally parallels Highway 2, beginning in the foothills of southern Alberta at Highway 3 near Lundbreck Falls. It proceeds north along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains passing through the foothills and ranch country to the aspen parkland of northern Alberta, ending at Highway 18 near Mayerthorpe.
Alberta Provincial Highway No. 8, commonly referred to as Highway 8, is a highway in Southern Alberta that connects Highway 22 in Rocky View County, just north of Redwood Meadows, to Calgary.
Crowchild Trail is a major expressway in western Calgary, Alberta. The segment from the 12 Mile Coulee Road at the edge of the city to 16 Avenue NW is designated as Highway 1A by Alberta Transportation. The road is a critical north-south link in West Calgary for both downtown bound traffic and travel between the two quadrants of the city it passes through. Although planned to be one single freeway from Glenmore Trail to the city limits, the route is currently divided by a section of slow moving arterial road with four signalized intersections between 24 Avenue and Memorial Drive. This causes the freeway in the northwest to separated from the freeway south of the Bow River. Filling the gap and making the whole route a minimum six lane freeway is currently planned for construction beyond 2027.
The Highwood River is a tributary of the Bow River in southwestern Alberta, Canada.
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.
Bridgeland-Riverside, formerly known as Bridgeland and Germantown, is a neighbourhood in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is located northeast of Downtown Calgary. It is bounded to the south by the Bow River, to the east by Deerfoot Trail, to the west by Edmonton Trail and to the north by the community of Renfrew.
Calgary is the largest city in the Canadian province of Alberta. It is the largest metro area within the three Prairie provinces region. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in Canada.
The Grand Loop Road is a historic district which encompasses the primary road system in Yellowstone National Park. Much of the 140-mile (230 km) system was originally planned by Captain Hiram M. Chittenden of the US Army Corps of Engineers in the early days of the park, when it was under military administration. The Grand Loop Road provides access to the major features of the park, including the Upper, Midway and Lower geyser basins, Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Fall, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake.
Blue Lake Regional Park is a public park in Fairview, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The 101-acre (41 ha) park, near the south shore of the Columbia River in Multnomah County, includes many covered and uncovered picnic areas, playing fields for sports such as softball, a cross country course and infrastructure related to lake recreation including swimming, boating, and fishing. Encompassing wooded areas, three ponds, and a wetland in addition to the lake, the park is frequented by migrating birds and other wildlife. Paved paths run through the park, which is near the 40-Mile Loop hiking and biking trail. Park vegetation includes cottonwoods, willows, and other trees and shrubs as well as wetland plants such as cattails.
The Reconciliation Bridge is a through truss bridge in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It connects Downtown Calgary with north-central Calgary communities such as Bridgeland and Crescent Heights, by spanning the Bow River between 4th Avenue South and Memorial Drive.
The Bow River pathway is a pathway system developed along the banks of the Bow River in the city of Calgary. It contains a network of pedestrian and bicycle paths connecting parks on both sides of the river.
In the days leading up to June 19, 2013, parts of southern and central Alberta, Canada experienced heavy rainfall that triggered catastrophic flooding described by the provincial government as the worst in Alberta's history. Areas along the Bow, Elbow, Highwood, Red Deer, Sheep, Little Bow, and South Saskatchewan rivers and their tributaries were particularly affected. A total of 32 states of local emergency were declared and 28 emergency operations centres were activated as water levels rose and numerous communities were placed under evacuation orders.
14 Street W is the name of two major arterial roads and a short collector road in Calgary, Alberta, separated by the Elbow River and the West Nose Creek valley. Originally proposed as a continuous route and north-south freeway, the plans were cancelled in favor of 24 Street W, which became Crowchild Trail.
Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard are a pair of major arterial roadways in Edmonton, Alberta. Gateway Boulevard carries northbound traffic while Calgary Trail carries southbound traffic. From south of 31 Avenue, they form a two-way freeway separated by a median; for this portion, the roadway maintains the separate names for northbound and southbound traffic. Near 31 Avenue, Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard separate and become parallel one-way arterial roadways to Saskatchewan Drive, at the edge of the North Saskatchewan River valley. Designated as part of Highway 2 south of Whitemud Drive, it is Edmonton's main southern entrance and is both a major commuter route, connecting to the Edmonton International Airport and Leduc, as well as a regional connection to Red Deer and Calgary.