Potential Bow Trail-Sarcee Trail overpass considered ahead of partial ring road west leg opening

With a new section of Stoney Trail set to open in southwest Calgary in the coming weeks, city administration will be keeping a watchful eye on what impact, if any, it has on an intersection already plagued by congestion.

A portion of the west leg of the ring road, spanning from the Trans-Canada Highway to Bow Trail Southwest, is expected to open in early October as is the westward extension of Bow Trail past 85th Street Southwest.

A functional planning study into the potential effect the ring road opening will have on the intersection at Bow Trail and Sarcee Trail Southwest is now underway.

Ward 6 Coun. Richard Pootmans says that study will help determine whether an overpass to replace the traffic lights at the intersection is warranted.

“We’re probably going to need the overpass and the ring road, but that’s what the ‘needs study’ that was announced today at city council will help us understand what exactly the requirements will be for that intersection and, hopefully, we can start to build accordingly,” explained Pootmans.

Previous efforts to alleviate the traffic snarls at the intersection have included the creation of a U-turn signal for drivers on eastbound Bow Trail, east of Sarcee, to circumvent the long lines of traffic waiting to make a left-hand turn into the southbound lanes of Sarcee.

Once the Bow Trail to Trans-Canada Highway section of Stoney Trail opens, the entire ring road will be nearly complete save for the portion between Bow Trail and Highway 8. According to the province, the final section is expected to be complete in 2024.