The new Flanders Avenue Interchange has opened after over a year of construction and delays.
Commuters traveling along Crowchild Trail will be able to breathe a slight sigh of relief with the Flanders Avenue bridge open to road traffic on Monday, Oct. 31.
Mayor Nenshi said the new interchange was designed with motorists, cyclists and pedestrians in mind, and will help meet the goal of improving neighbourhood access in surrounding communities.
“We finished this project on time and on budget. It is a very innovative project, a real example of creativity and getting stuff built quickly and cheaply,” Nenshi said.
Nenshi said a deal between the city and Canada Lands Corporation got the project moving, with CLC paying for the $35 million project up front. The city is now committed to paying back $20 million of the project costs.
“We were able to move forward and not only get it done, so that people have a better transportation link, but also it enables the development of the Currie neighbourhood.”
The final design for the Crowchild Trail and Flanders Avenue Interchange was approved by council in November of 2014. The key construction elements included the demolition and rebuilding of the Flanders Avenue Bridge and the construction of three new roundabouts.
“I’m really excited about it and I really, really hope everyone will figure out how the dual roundabouts work,” Nenshi said, half joking.
Nenshi also said the interchange will help meet the needs of the proposed Currie Barracks development plan.
“This is one of the biggest development projects in Calgary, and it’s an inner-city development project,” Nenshi said. “We don’t get opportunities like this very often where you have such a large piece of land, in a developed area, next to a university, well served by transit and by roads … so it’s really important to get it exactly right.”
The project broke ground in September of 2015 and major construction has now wrapped up. Final finishing work will take place in spring 2017, with the project scheduled for completion by summer 2017.
The ribbon cutting ceremony featured a community festival and speeches from Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Ministers Kent Hehr and Judy Foote, and Coun. Brian Pincott.
