Centre Avenue Phase 3 involved widening the portion of Centre Avenue from Powell Street to 1st Street, including the 1st Street intersection. This included the relocation of franchise utilities such as gas, power and telecommunications that are conflicting with roadway construction as well as land acquisition on the west portion of Centre Avenue to allow the road widening.
Updates
August 22, 2025:
Temporary closure – Sheridan Mall east parking lot
Starting September 2, 2025, weather permitting, the east parking lot at Sheridan Mall will be closed for about two weeks in September for sidewalk replacement.
Pedestrian access to businesses will be maintained. About 10 parking stalls are available at First Avenue West and Second Street, with signage directing visitors. Businesses will remain open during construction.
The work is required to meet construction specifications and ensure durability. Once complete, final paving on Centre Avenue will follow.
This project involved adding lanes to provide two through lanes each in all directions. Phase 1 of the Centre Avenue improvement project was completed in 2020 from Highway 1A to 2nd Street. Phase 2 of the project was undertaken in 2022 between 2nd Street and Powell Street.
The top lift or final pavement is scheduled to be installed in 2025 once all settling has finished to complete the roadway and the sidewalk replacement is completed.
How does this project benefit the community?
Increased community connectivity
Strategic alignment
This project supports Council's Strategic goals of livability, connectivity and vibrant economy. This project will build on the foundation of financial and environmental stewardship, and built environment.
FAQs
On this site you are seeing two projects underway, Centre Ave Phase 3, and East End Storm Improvements Project.
Center Avenue Phase 3 involves widening the portion of Centre Avenue from Powell Street to 1st Street including the 1st Street intersection. The project includes the relocation of franchise utilities such as gas, power and telecommunications that are conflicting with roadway construction as well as land acquisition on the west portion of Centre Avenue to allow the road widening. As Centre Avenue widening progresses during the 2023 construction season, Cochrane has an opportunity to adjust drainage catchment boundaries and improve the stormwater level of service through the Historic Downtown.
This work will:
Increase connectivity through one of Cochrane’s main corridors. The overall 4-phase Centre Ave project includes corridor improvements to Highway 1A and Centre Avenue, adding lanes to provide two through lanes each in all directions.
Reduce drainage demands on the Historic Downtown system
Provide servicing opportunities for redevelopment in the East End
Detour routes will be clearly marked to ensure minimal disruptions to your daily commute. While we understand that the detours may add some extra time to your travel, we are committed to maintaining efficient traffic flow while the work is underway.
Emergency access is always top priority and has been in place throughout the project. Throughout construction, Emergency Services are actively engaged in regular project updates to ensure that emergency access remains unhampered, as public safety remains our foremost priority.
Local businesses remain open during construction. Established detour routes and signage will be in place to help residents and visitors navigate around the work area.
During the underground work, crews encountered unrecorded, partially abandoned utilities, which is not uncommon in older areas like this. Additionally, it was discovered that the gas main beneath Centre Ave was leaking and required replacement. It's important to note that this gas line is owned by the gas company, not the Town of Cochrane. Addressing this issue significantly impacted our timeline. However, the gas company responded promptly and efficiently replaced the leaking line this spring, ensuring the safety and progress of the project.
