Valley Ridge, Calgary, AB - Valley Breeze Articles

WCRR Update: VALLEY RIDGE ISSUES

(BY: VRCA Planning Committee)

(This article appeared in the April 2020 edition of the Valley Breeze)

New Roundabout at the Four-way Stop

We can now confirm that as part of the West Calgary Ring Road (WCRR) project, EllisDon, Alberta Transportation’s (AT’s) contractor, will remove the four-way stop at the intersection of Valley Ridge Drive and Valley Ridge Boulevard. In its place, EllisDon will construct a roundabout. The VRCA’s Board supports this project as it will provide: (1) an effective means of handling the diversion of traffic bound for Crestmont and other destinations south of the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) during construction of the WCRR, and (2) a greatly improved community entry feature and community sign location post-construction. EllisDon continues to finalize the design, however Figure 1 provides a schematic of the new VR Blvd interchange and a conceptual view of the new roundabout at the 4-way stop. Our understanding is construction is to begin the fall of 2020. Our present roundabout is to be re-constructed closer to the fire station. During this process westbound traffic from the TCH heading south, for example to Crestmont, will temporarily need to use the new roundabout at the Valley Ridge Drive and Valley Ridge Blvd to U-turn and head south. Once completed the new re-located roundabout will again function to enable all traffic proceeding south via the new TCH underpass to Crestmont and other destinations thus ending the need to use the roundabout at the four-way stop. The City of Calgary Transportation Department will be participating with EllisDon at an AT Information Session (timing to be determined) to present and introduce the new roundabout to community residents.

Sound Attenuation Measures

On January 23rd, 2020, The Hon. Demetrios Nicolaides, MLA for Calgary-Bow and Minister for Advanced Education and the Planning Committee arranged a site visit in Valley Ridge with The Hon. Ric McIver, MLA for Calgary-Hays, and Minister of Transportation. Also attending were Shane De Lorey, AT’s Director for the WCRR, and two VRCA Board members, Grant Knowles and Michael McGee. The visit was held at the home of residents on Valley Meadow Close who back south onto the TCH just west of the community garden and rink. The purpose was to demonstrate to the Ministers the impact of the close proximity of construction activities on residents of Valley Ridge.

Based on discussion, we understand the sound study will be complete by this spring and will be the driving factor to advancing construction of any sound barriers as early as this spring or summer. Further, Minister McIver stated that while AT “will continue to use provincial noise guidelines for the WCRR…if members of the community would like to work with the City of Calgary or other stakeholders to acquire noise attenuation at a higher level of service, AT would support these efforts.” The City’s noise guidelines are more stringent compared to AT’s. A more extensive sound barrier could be constructed should City Council be onside and if funding is available. MLA Nicolaides is in the process of arranging a meeting with our Ward 1 Councillor, Ward Sutherland and the VRCA sometime in March or April.

New, West Storm Management Pond

Some residents of Valley Pointe Way will be aware of a new storm management pond to be constructed by EllisDon’s contractors this Spring or earlier, weather dependent. Figure 2 shows the location of the new pond immediately west of the existing, smaller storm management pond. This new pond is required to manage storm water run-off from the new and expanded TCH, once complete. We understand this project will involve a significant excavation and remain in contact with AT. We will further advise and inform residents with additional details as they become available.

Pathways

The new pathway connection to Bowness Park below the Bow River Bridge Twinning project was opened on February 18. A set of stairs has been constructed to provide access to the Park during construction. We now understand that EllisDon’s contractor will be maintaining and clearing the stairs of snow during the remaining winter months. AT also received permission from the City of Calgary to construct a temporary haul road through the south perimeter of Bowness Park for the duration of construction on the new bridge.

For further information visit:

AT's Project Website: https://westringroad.ca/

Submitted by: VRCA Planning Committee

Ring Road Construction Impact on Valley Ridge – An Update.

(BY: VRCA Planning Committee)

VALLEY BREEZE ARTICLE: SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE

West Calgary Ring Road construction near and around Valley Ridge is now in high gear – not a surprise to many, especially those residents immediately adjacent to the east/south corner of the community. Those contending with the pile driving along the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) have been particularly affected this summer. The piles are being placed to support the new overpass that will allow a dedicated lane into Valley Ridge to pass underneath traffic from Stoney Trail rather than merge/weave through those traffic volumes. (For detailed schematics of the future road realignments, please see the websites noted at the end of this article.)

In late July, Alberta Transportation completed a new in/out access road on Stoney Trail at the end of the Valley Ridge emergency access road on the east side of the community. The new/upgraded access, which is temporary during the construction, will enable most of the truck traffic related to the construction to enter directly from Stoney Trail rather than using our neighbourhood streets. Discussions with Alberta Transportation representatives have confirmed that construction traffic has been instructed to avoid using Valley Ridge streets whenever possible. The emergency access gate at the west end of the emergency access road will be closed normally, as a reinforcement that all construction traffic (pickup trucks and semi’s) are to avoid accessing the area through Valley Ridge. Over the summer, the transportation utility corridor between Stoney Trail and Valley Ridge turned into a work camp as the contractor responsible for the construction, EllisDon, moved in a number of trailers used for administrative/oversight of the area construction.

Details regarding the longer-term construction schedule remain rather elusive. Alberta Transportation will not release any projected longer-term scheduling details because they are not yet finalized. The contractor has indicated that there will be additional pile driving activity later this summer or fall close to the existing TCH interchange in preparation for the new bridge to be built for the new Valley Ridge Boulevard roadway under the TCH.

The contractor also indicated the rebuild of the existing roundabout, located adjacent to the north side of the TCH, could start in the spring of 2020. During that rebuild, the existing roundabout will be closed. The rebuild will be a larger, two-lane roundabout repositioned compared with the existing location. The new roundabout completion is expected in 2021. During the roundabout reconstruction, west-bound traffic coming from the TCH & Stoney Trail destined for locations on the south side of the TCH, such as Crestmont, will be routed onto Valley Ridge Blvd where it will need to make a U-turn in order to proceed south under the TCH. To facilitate the southbound traffic U-turn, the contractor is considering building a temporary roundabout that replaces the existing four-way stop intersection. The VRCA Planning Committee has been in discussion with the contractor, as well as the City and Alberta Transportation, to ensure pedestrian safety is a key priority in any design, and to ensure the roundabout is not less efficient than the existing intersection. As a city roadway, any changes made to the intersection will need City of Calgary approval. Should the roundabout offer improved traffic and pedestrian flows there will be a consideration to convert the temporary roundabout into a permanent upgrade for the community.

For additional details on the Ring Road project, please visit the Alberta Transportation link: https://www.alberta.ca/west-calgary-ring-road.aspx. Also for additional information please visit the VRCA Planning Committee’s website: https://sites.google.com/view/vrcapc2019march5/home

Submitted by: VRCA Planning Committee

West Calgary Ring Road: Project Update

(BY: Alberta Transportation)

VALLEY BREEZE ARTICLE: SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE

West Ring Road construction is underway. This year work is primarily focused on the roadworks between Crowchild Trail N.W. and the Bow River for the new Bow River bridge, and bridge construction for the upgraded interchanges at Trans-Canada Highway / Valley Ridge Blvd N.W. and Trans-Canada Highway / Stoney Trail.

Here’s what you can expect this Fall:

Road widening on southbound Stoney Trail from north of Crowchild Trail to south of Scenic Acres Link N.W. to provide new ramp lanes (collector-distributor) and three continuous lanes on Stoney Trail
Bridge construction at Scenic Acres Link N.W. for the exit ramp from southbound Stoney Trail to Tuscany Boulevard / Scenic Acres Link N.W.
A temporary pathway closure on the south side of the Bow River as part of twinning the Bow River Bridge
Excavation and earthworks for deep utility work (upgrades and / or relocates) between Valley Ridge Boulevard N.W. and Stoney Trail
Bridge construction (including earthworks and installing piles) for the interchanges at Trans-Canada Highway / Valley Ridge Blvd N.W. and Trans-Canada Highway / Stoney Trail
Excavation and earthworks for deep utility work (upgrades and / or relocates) on Old Banff Coach Road between 101 Street S.W. and the communities of Cougar Ridge / West Springs

Reduced speed limits and temporary lane closures should be expected in the project area through 2019. Please check 511 Alberta for up-to-date lane closures. The best way to stay informed about the project is to subscribe to email updates. Please visit alberta.ca and search “west calgary ring road” to find the project web page and sign-up for the email list.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. There is significant work to be completed and every effort will be made to minimize disruptions while also completing the work as quickly as possible.

Submitted By: Alberta Transportation

“NEW SANITARY SEWER LINE?”

(BY: VRCA Planning Committee)

VALLEY BREEZE ARTICLE: SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE

This article provides an update for residents regarding a potential addition of a City sanitary sewer line that some may have heard about. The VRCA’s Planning Committee (VRCA PC) has been engaged with the City of Calgary Water Services for several years concerning the operation of the existing sanitary sewer line that services the town of Cochrane and crosses through Valley Ridge, collecting VR sewage along the way, as it continues to the City of Calgary sewage treatment plant. The VRCA PC’s involvement has been in connection with odours escaping from the line in the past few years.

Recently, the City determined an increase in the capacity of the line will be necessary to accommodate residential growth to the west of Calgary including the new West View community. The image below is modified from Map 7, Sanitary Servicing, from the draft version of the West View ASP approved by City Council in July 2019:

The concept is that the existing line from Cochrane will be ‘twinned’ and follow more or less the same route as the existing except that the new line will bypass VR and use the TCH Right-of-way (ROW) to connect with the Bowness Sanitary Trunk. The plan was to install the part of the line running from immediately west of VR Blvd to east of Stoney Trail concurrent with the West Calgary Ring Road (WCRR) construction that is already disturbing the TCH right-of-way. Turns out there are construction contracting issues that preclude concurrent construction by the City and the Province, which may have resulted in less disruption for Valley Ridge residents. The good news is that with the postponement, the City will not be spending cash now for a future requirement that may not be needed for a number of years.

Submitted by: VRCA Planning Committee

For further information regarding water contruction projects, upgrades and repairs to the City's water, wastewater and stormwater systems, please visit the City of Calgary Water Services website:

http://www.calgary.ca/UEP/Water/Pages/construction-projects/Construction-Upgrades-and-Repairs-overview.aspx

West Calgary Ring Road Update

(BY: VRCA Planning Committee)

VALLEY BREEZE ARTICLE: MARCH 2019

By now residents will have noticed that some pre-work has already occurred regarding the West Calgary Ring Road (WCRR) project. The WCRR is the final 9 km. of the Calgary Ring Road and extends from Highway 8 north to Crowchild Trail (Fig. 1). Some staking, shallow core work and clearing of brush and some trees from the Transportation Utility Corridor (TUC) on the east and south sides of the community occurred in late January / early February. The community entrance sign has also been removed and placed in storage for the duration of construction.

The VRCA has been working in close communication with Alberta Transportation (AT) the past several months. A kick-off meeting was held with AT in mid-October attended by Dave McCarrel, President, VRCA, members of the VRCA Planning Committee (PC) and the VRCA’s LEAF team.

With the expected date of the Provincial election as early as mid-April, at this writing, the announcement of the general contractor for the North Project (see below) is expected to happen in mid-March. Coupled with the good weather in January, pre-work on the WCRR commenced earlier than expected.

Visit AT’s website to see a detailed overview of the WCRR project from Hwy 8 to Crowchild Trail, including a 3D fly-over: https://www.alberta.ca/west-calgary-ring-road.aspx

The WCRR is comprised of 3 sub-projects (Fig. 2). The construction of our new Valley Ridge Blvd interchange is part of the “North Project” which includes the construction of a new Valley Ridge Boulevard interchange, the expansion of the Stoney Trail / Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) interchange and the re-construction of 5 km of the TCH. The North Project is expected to start first. The second project involves the twinning of the Stoney Trail bridge over the Bow River plus widening of ~2km of Stoney Trail from Crowchild Trail south to Scenic Acres Link. The third project is the construction of ~5km of new Stoney Trail freeway from Old Banff Coach Road to Hwy 8.

AT expects the WCRR to be open to traffic in 2022, one year after the expected completion of the Southwest Calgary Ring Road (SWCRR), now under construction, from Hwy 8 to Macleod Trail: http://www.swcrrproject.com

Following the announcement of the general contractor for the North Project, we expect to learn more details which we will communicate to the community regarding the timing and impact of construction on Valley Ridge. There will be disruptions to traffic flow as the project progresses and the VRCA asks for everyone’s patience and understanding. We will endeavor to communicate with residents in a timely fashion via the VRCA’s website, the VRCA’s Facebook page, the Valley Breeze and if you are a VRCA member, by e-mail, which will be the fastest mode of providing information to you as construction progresses. Lastly, there is a link on AT’s website for the WCRR (above) where you can sign up for email notifications directly from AT.

Please email planning@vrca.community with any questions.

Submitted By:

VRCA Planning Committee