Crowchild Trail

Crowchild Trail is an expressway in western Calgary, Alberta. The segment from 12 Mile Coulee Road to 16 Avenue NW (Trans-Canada Highway, Highway 1) is designated as Highway 1A by Alberta Transportation.

Crowchild Trail
Crowchild Trail highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by City of Calgary
Length22.0 km[1] (13.7 mi)
Major junctions
South endLinden Drive SW
 Glenmore Trail
Bow Trail
Memorial Drive
16 Avenue NW (Hwy 1)
Shaganappi Trail
Stoney Trail (Hwy 201)
North endTwelve Mile Coulee Road
Location
Major citiesCalgary
Highway system
Provincial highways in Alberta

Route description

Crowchild Trail's south terminus is located at North Glenmore Park as a minor arterial road. Exiting northbound from the park the road intersects several residential streets within the communities of Lakeview and North Glenmore Park, and several residential dwellings are located on the Trail itself. Continuing northward, its first major intersection is with Glenmore Trail at an interchange that was built in 1981, which is the point at which Crowchild becomes an freeway. After an interchange was completed at 50th Avenue SW in 2003, Crowchild Trail became a true freeway from Glenmore Trail to Kensington Road NW, with overpasses at Flanders Avenue SW, 33 Avenue SW and 17 Avenue SW and interchange intersections with 10 Avenue SW, Bow Trail and Memorial Drive. The speed limit on the freeway sections are 80 km/h (50 mph).

Traffic slows immediately north of the Bow River (dropping to a principal arterial with a 60 km/h (37 mph) limit), with signal-controlled intersections at Kensington Road NW and 5th Avenue NW, and heavy use by football fans and transit users at McMahon Stadium and students of the University of Calgary. After 24 Avenue NW the road veers northwest, and once again becomes an uninterrupted freeway until the Stoney Trail ring road. A cloverleaf interchange was completed in 2012 at Stoney Trail, rendering Crowchild Trail a freeway from 24 Avenue through to the city limits at Twelve Mile Coulee Road. It continues as Bow Valley Trail, eventually reaching Cochrane and Canmore.

History

Part of this road was the Morley Trail when it was an actual trail. It was first paved in the 1930s. It then became the main highway to Banff and was the home of Eamon's Bungalow Camp and service station. When the Trans-Canada Highway was created it dropped in importance.[2]

The road was originally signed as 24 Street SW from North Glenmore Park to the Bow River, 24th Street NW from the Bow River to the intersection with 16 Avenue NW, and Highway 1A from 16 Avenue NW to the city limits. In March 1971, it was renamed Crowchild Trail in honour of David Crowchild, Chief of the Tsuu T'ina Nation from 1946 to 1953.[3]

Future

In the spring of 2017, the City of Calgary approved the recommendations of the Crowchild Trail Study which addressed the congestion and design issues between 17 Avenue SW and 24 Avenue NW. Short-term improvements include adding additional lanes across the Bow River and modifying the Bow Trail and Memorial Drive interchanges; construction commenced in fall 2017 and was scheduled to be completed in fall 2019, since then, the completion date has been pushed back to fall 2020.[4] Medium-term improvements include new interchanges at Kensington Road, 5 Avenue NW, and 24 Avenue NW, as well as replacement of the existing University Drive and 16 Avenue NW interchanges.[5] Once the medium-term recommendations would be implemented, the remaining traffic signals would be removed and Crowchild Trail would be a freeway between Glenmore Trail and 12 Mile Coulee Road.

Major intersections

From south to north, the following intersections are observed along Crowchild Trail.[6] The entire route is in Calgary. All exits are unnumbered.

km[1]miDestinationsNotes
0.00.0Linden Drive, North Glenmore ParkStarts north of Glenmore Reservoir
0.40.2566 Avenue SWAt grade, three-way stop
0.70.4363 Avenue SWAt grade, traffic signals
1.00.62Glenmore TrailDiamond interchange with signalized intersections on Crowchild Trail;
southbound to eastbound flyover
1.50.9354 Avenue SWNorthbound right-in/right-out
1.91.250 Avenue SW, Mount Royal Gate – Mount Royal UniversityPartial cloverleaf interchange
2.81.7Flanders Avenue, Richard RoadDogbone interchange
3.62.233 Avenue SWDiamond interchange
5.33.317 Avenue SWPartial cloverleaf interchange
5.9–
6.2		3.7–
3.9		Bow Trail – City CentreInterchange; no northbound to westbound exit; no eastbound to southbound entrance
12 Avenue SW (via 10 Avenue SW)Southbound exit, northbound entrance
6.2–
6.5		3.9–
4.0		Crowchild Trail Bridge across Bow River
6.5–
6.8		4.0–
4.2		Memorial DriveInterchange
7.14.4Kensington RoadAt-grade, traffic signals; diamond interchange proposed[5]
7.34.52 Avenue NWNorthbound right-in/right-out
7.64.75 Avenue NWAt-grade, traffic signals; half-diamond interchange proposed (southbound exit, northbound entrance)[5]
8.25.1 University Drive to 16 Avenue NW (Hwy 1) – University of CalgaryNorthbound exit, southbound entrance
8.55.313 Avenue NW (to University Drive)Southbound exit only
8.75.4 16 Avenue NW (Hwy 1) Hwy 1A eastern terminus;
interchange; northbound exit, southbound entrance; SPUI (full movement) proposed[5]
9.15.7 23 Avenue NW (to Banff Trail) – McMahon Stadium, Banff Trail stationAt grade, traffic signals; northbound right-in/right-out proposed[5]
9.35.8Banff TrailAt grade; no access to southbound Banff Trail (business access only); northbound right-in/right-out proposed[5]
9.55.924 Avenue NW – University of CalgaryAt-grade, traffic signals; diamond interchange proposed[5]
C-Train enters median; Crowchild Trail turns northwest
10.26.3 Passes University station
10.66.6Charleswood Drive, 32 Avenue NW – University of CalgaryPartial cloverleaf interchange
11.06.8Shopping Centre Access (Brentwood Road)Westbound exit only
11.27.0 Passes Brentwood station
11.57.1Brisebois Drive, 40 Avenue NW – Brentwood park and ridePartial cloverleaf interchange
12.37.6Northland DriveDiamond interchange
13.08.1Shaganappi TrailSplit diamond interchange
13.98.6 Passes Dalhousie station
14.38.953 Street NW – Dalhousie park and rideDiamond interchange
15.49.6Sarcee Trail, Silver Springs GatePartial cloverleaf interchange
17.4–
18.2		10.8–
11.3		Nose Hill Drive, Crowfoot Parade – Crowfoot park and rideDiamond interchange
Passes Crowfoot station
Crowfoot RiseWestbound right-in/right out
18.9–
20.3		11.7–
12.6		 Stoney Trail (Hwy 201)Cloverstack interchange; exit 41 on Hwy 201
20.312.6 Passes Tuscany station
22.013.712 Mile Coulee RoadAt-grade, traffic signals
Continues as Hwy 1A west (Bow Valley Trail) – Cochrane, Canmore
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  • Crowchild Trail at the interchange with Stoney Trail
  • Bridge over Bow River
  • C-Train tracks along Crowchild Trail
  • Looking south just north of 5 Ave NW
gollark: Is this in response to something?
gollark: Some CPU coolers are probably powerful enough to handle the likely ridiculous heat output of the diode array thingy.
gollark: ~~liquid cooling~~
gollark: True. It did seem like there wasn't much room.
gollark: Have you considered adding a cooling fan or something to it so it can run for longer?

See also

KML is not from Wikidata

References
  1. Google (January 11, 2017). "Crowchild Trail in Calgary, Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  2. "Historic Eamon's gas station to be saved". May 7, 2012. Archived from the original on March 21, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  3. Finch, David (October 29, 2013). "Native leader set trail for his people". Calgary Herald. Postmedia Network Inc. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  4. "Crowchild Trail Upgrades: Fall 2017-Fall 2019" (PDF). City of Calgary. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  5. "Crowchild Trail Study: Medium-Term Recommended Plan" (PDF). City of Calgary. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  6. Sherlock's Map of Calgary (16th ed.). Langdon, Alberta: Sherlock Publishing Ltd. 2014. pp. 7, 8, 17, 18, 26, 34, 40. ISBN 1-895229-80-4.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.