Construction Updates

SANITARY SYSTEM INSPECTION

Proactive maintenance of Cochrane’s utilities and infrastructure is crucial to extend the life of vital assets. 

In coming weeks, overnight sanitary sewer inspections and cleaning will take place in  Glenbow, East End, Riverview, The Quarry and Downtown, this work will take an evening or two for each area.

This work must take place overnight when the waste volume in the pipes is low and traffic is at a minimum to decrease impact to motorists. The days on which the work will take place will be established based on favorable weather conditions. 

Map

HWY 1A IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT: 5^th AVENUE ACCESS 

Crews are in the final stretch for 2022 construction work. Over the next few weeks, residents should anticipate some additional traffic safety measures in place, including:

• Speed limits will be reduced to 30km/h throughout the construction areas. 
• Additional cement barriers will be placed, which will limit traffic flow to single eastbound and westbound lanes in most of the construction area. 
• Starting as early as this weekend, access to Fifth Avenue from HWY 1A will be closed as crews work to build the new Fifth Avenue intersection. Follow the detour signage. 

Do your part to keep construction zones safe for everyone – slow down and be patient. We all deserve a safe workplace.

Find out more about the project at Cochrane.ca/HWY1A.

Map

Overnight Closure:

The southbound lane on Fourth Ave North will be closed overnight between 8 pm October 3rd and 6 am October 4th for paving related to the Hwy 1A Improvements project.

Alternating traffic will be controlled by flaggers during the closure period. Please follow instructions from the construction personnel and drive with caution.

Pathway Closure: Culvert Installation, September 12

The pathway from the Ranche parking lot, under Hwy 1A, will be closed on Monday, September 12, from 9 - 3 pm while a new culvert is installed.

During these hours, the path will be inaccessible to the public, please make alternative arrangements if this is your preferred route.

Map

Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) has scheduled the closure of the River Avenue track crossing for rehabilitation this weekend.

The work will include the removal of the old track and replacement with a new concrete crossing surface, as well as improved pedestrian accommodation.

River Avenue will be closed between First Street East and Railway Street East for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic from the evening of Friday, September 9 until the evening of Monday, September 12.

Please use an alternate route, such as Centre Avenue.

Fourth Ave Bridge Replacement: Girder Hoisting

The area and hiking trails adjacent to the 4th Ave bridge will be closed to the public on Thursday, September 1 for girder hoisting. 

Local traffic will continue to be temporarily rerouted along the closed portion of Ranche Rd between Sunset Drive and Fourth Ave N. Use of this road will continue to be for adjacent residents only. Please avoid the area if possible. 

The new bridge is planned to be opened for use by September 7, 2022.

Crews will be paving a small section of Hwy 22 starting at 7pm Saturday August, 27 2022 and through the evening.

While this work is underway traffic will be down to one alternating lane, please expect delays and plan an alternative route if possible.

PAVING UNDERWAY ON JAMES WALKER TRAIL

On August 22, top-lift paving will start on the James Walker Trail (JWT) between Griffin Rd and Riversong Blvd. The JWT opened for use in 2020 and is now ready for the final top-lift to be paved. 

Before paving is complete, there will be protruding maintenance holes and bumps where the new pavement ties into existing fully paved roads.

Starting the week of August 22, 2022, construction will begin on the new roadway and parking area in front of Second Street West and should take approximately one week to complete.

 Temporary parking zones for customers and employees will be established along the newly paved lanes of Hwy 1A and the new access to Second Street as shown on the image with red dots. Pedestrian access will be established in coordination with the work taking place each day. Deliveries can be coordinated with the flaggers on site if required. 

Please follow the directions of the flaggers and signage.

Map

BACK LANE (ALLEY) PAVING

Starting the week of August 22, residents in the communities of Sunset Ridge, Heritage Hills, Fireside and the Willows should anticipate crews completing asphalt maintenance in the back lanes. 

Work is tentatively scheduled for Sunset Heights and Sunset Road from August 22-27 and Heritage Landing and Heritage Drive from August 29-September 3. The dates for Fireside and the Willows have not yet been determined but will be shared once available.

Here are a few things you should know: 

- Access to garages and backyard parking pads will be limited during the paving operations.

- Short-term local parking bans will be put in place as work is completed.

- Fresh asphalt is extremely hot – please avoid the construction area. 

- Waste and recycling bins should be placed at the front of your home during the duration of the construction. Scheduled pick-up days will not change. 

- Signage will indicate when fresh oil is applied. If possible, avoid driving over it. Fresh oil will stick to your tires and transfer to your driveway. 

Hwy 1A and Centre Avenue Traffic Changes 

Starting the evening of Monday, July 25 and overnight, the traffic through the intersection of Hwy 1A and Centre Avenue will be changed to the new alignment with new signal lights, including the new access to Third Street West.

This activity will also involve the removal of the old traffic lights and wooden poles. During this time, there will be traffic disruptions and multiple alterations of traffic lane routing. If possible, please consider taking an alternative route.

Retaining Wall Construction

Construction of the main retaining wall for the Fourth Avenue to Fifth Avenue realignment begins this week.

Taken just prior to construction, this perspective view shows how the new “S” curve realignment will direct traffic onto Fifth Avenue and all the way through to Griffin Road.

Short traffic interruptions, up to 5 minutes, along Fourth Avenue north of the highway, will occur for concrete delivery and reinforcing cage hoisting. 

Please keep a safe distance from the work and follow instructions from flaggers and signage.

Reference Image   Photo credit: Bill Marsh Photography

Fourth Ave Bridge Replacement: Construction Start-Up

The Town is replacing the old bridge at the bottom of Fourth Avenue North near the intersection with Ranche Road.

The bridge is scheduled to close for construction on July 15, 2022, following the stream high-flow period. The new bridge is anticipated to be opened one month following the closure date, depending on the weather.

During the construction period, there will be no access across Big Hill Creek and local traffic will be temporarily re-routed along the closed portion of Ranche Road between Sunset Drive and Fourth Avenue North. Parking will not be permitted along Ranche road for safety reasons, and use of the road will be for adjacent residents only.

Fourth Avenue will also be closed to vehicle traffic between Sunterra Road and the bridge and used for construction access.

For your safety, please follow all signage. 

WEST TERRACE FREC PROJECT: CONSTRUCTION START-UP 

The Town is expanding and constructing a new stormwater facility to improve the flood resilience of the area and improve the quality of the stormwater released into the Bow River. The project will include a new vehicle-rated pathway bridge. 

Construction, including the pathway closure, is scheduled to start July 4th and continue until October.

Detour

Crews will be working overnight Saturday, starting at 9pm, on 5th Ave at 1st St W to repair a water main valve. 

The road will remain open, flaggers will be on-site to direct traffic. 

No interruption of water service is anticipated. 

Please obey directions from the construction crews and drive with care.

Centre Avenue Median Construction

Construction of the median along Centre Avenue between Hwy 1A and second Avenue will begin next week, weather permitting.

The work includes pavement removal and curbing construction. The work will reduce the roadway to one lane in each direction for about 2 weeks.

During construction, drivers should expect delays with personnel and equipment working on the roadway.

June 18: Overnight Closure - Northbound Lane of Fourth Ave North 

The northbound lane on Fourth Ave North will be closed overnight between 7 pm June 18th and 6 am June 19th for wastewater system upgrades related to the Hwy 1A Improvements project.

Alternating traffic will be controlled by flaggers during the closure period. Please follow instructions from the construction personnel and drive with caution.

INTERSECTION PAVING

Starting on June 17th the asphalt on Centre Ave at the intersections of Quarry St and Bow St will be removed and replaced, weather permitting.

Motorists can expect traffic pattern changes and possible delays. Please follow instructions from the construction personnel and drive with caution.

UPCOMING ROAD CLOSURE: 5TH AVE AT HWY 1A

• June 9 at 5 pm - 6 am, June 10 
• Turnoff onto 5^th Ave will be closed install new wastewater infrastructure for Cochrane Heights and Sunterra (no interruption to wastewater service is anticipated) 
• Traffic will be detoured at 4^th Ave to access the downtown. Business access to the 100 block of 5^th Avenue can be made from 1^st St W. 
• Please follow signage in the area
• Closure Map

OVERNIGHT CLOSURES: HWY 1A FROM 3RD AVE-5TH AVE – JUNE 10 & 11

Weather permitting, HWY 1A will be closed from 3rd Ave to 5th Ave to install storm and sanitary sewer pipes across HWY 1A overnight (8pm-6am) on June 10 and 11. 

During these overnight closures there will be a detour in place, flaggers will direct the heavy vehicles and RVs onto their detour. Both detours will be two-way.

If possible, please use an alternative route if travelling overnight during these closures, thank you for your understanding.

CLOSURE:  5TH AVENUE AT HIGHWAY 1A

The turnoff onto Fifth Ave will be closed from Friday night at 9:00pm until 5:00pm on Saturday, June 4, to tie in the new water main for Cochrane Heights and Sunterra.

Traffic will be detoured at Fourth Avenue to access the downtown. Business access to the 100 block of Fifth Avenue can be made from First St W. 

Please follow signage in the area. 

No interruption of water service is anticipated.

Closure Map

OVERNIGHT CLOSURES: HWY 1A FROM 4TH-5TH AVE - MAY 27, 28, 29

HWY 1A will be closed from 4th Ave to 5th Ave to install water and sanitary lines overnight (9pm-6am) on May 27, 28 and 29. 

During these overnight closures there will be a detour in place, flaggers will direct the heavy vehicles and RVs onto their detour. Both detours will be two-way.

If possible, please use an alternative route if travelling overnight during these closures, thank you for your understanding.

Detour Map

• May 20, 2022:  To accommodate traffic flow through our community over the long weekend, work that will directly block traffic will be paused. Work will continue on the side of the highways as required.

A great deal of work is underway on HWY 1A, the following will occur over the next few weeks, please note that this work is weather dependent and specific dates may shift as a result:

• May 20: New right turn lane off HWY 1A onto 4th Ave northbound before the lights has been constructed and is scheduled to be paved next week with an anticipated opening date of May 30. 

• May 24-June 1 : Paving Centre Ave intersection and westbound HWY 1A lanes.

• May 24-June 15: The traffic pattern will be shifted to the north on HWY 1A at the Centre Ave intersection while a new signal base is installed on the south side of Hwy 1A.

• May 24-June 3: Overnight closures (3 nights) on HWY 1A from 4th Ave to 5th Ave to install water and sanitary lines. During these overnight closures there will be a detour in place and flaggers to direct traffic. Detour route maps and specific dates will be provided once determined.

HWY 1A/22 CONSTRUCTION UPDATE:

The Town is working closely with the Province of Alberta to advance the HWY 1A/22 interchange work. To support this, there are two construction projects anticipated to begin:

May 16/17: Overnight construction to install a heavy truck crossing between HWY 1A and Ranche Road (RR43). During this time, only one lane will be open to traffic, with flaggers controlling traffic flow. 

May 18: Crews will begin construction on the east loop ramps for the HWY 1A/22 interchange. During daytime hours, traffic on HWY 22 will be limited to one lane each direction. Flaggers will be in place to assist with traffic flow. This work is anticipated to be complete by late July.

We acknowledge that the construction projects are impacting many residents, as you travel throughout Cochrane. Thanks for your patience as we work to deliver these projects – we appreciate your support. 

Information updates will be shared regularly to help you plan your routes. 

HWY 1A IMPROVEMENTS: OVERNIGHT UTILITY CROSSING INSTALLATIONS

Crews will be installing utility crossings near Centre Ave on Hwy 1A. This work will start on the evening of May 11 at 8pm and continue to 6am on May 12. A second night shift will start at 8pm on May 12 and be complete the following day. During this time traffic routing along Hwy 1A will change as work progresses. Please follow signage and instructions from the flaggers.

HWY 1A IMPROVEMENTS: 4th AVENUE LANE CLOSURE

Starting Monday, May 9 the right-turn/through lane on southbound 4th Avenue will be closed for approximately 4 weeks as ATCO Gas completes a pipeline move to support the HWY 1A improvements project.

A temporary pedestrian detour has been constructed around the work area and the traffic signals will be re-timed to accommodate the closed lane.

We appreciate that this lane closure may result in some localized traffic delays.

Map

UPCOMING ROAD CLOSURE: RIVER HEIGHTS DR

Starting May 2, there will be a staggered road closure of River Heights Dr for a waterline installation. Traffic will continue to flow through the area and work will be complete by May 9. Please see attached image for the specific closure dates of each lane, and obey all signage in the area.

Map

PATHWAY CLOSURE

Starting April 20, the pathway along Jumping Pound Creek will be temporarily closed while rehabilitation work and affected tree removal is underway in the area.

This closure will be in place for approximately one week, and a detour will be in place. Please obey all barricades and signage in the area.

PROJECT UPDATE: HWY 1A IMPROVEMENTS

The Town has resumed construction along Hwy 1A between Centre Avenue and 5th Avenue West. Starting next week traffic pattern changes will be implemented at Centre Avenue to accommodate installation of the new permanent traffic signal poles.

Please obey all signage and direction from flagging personnel.