$12.5M to rehabilitate the 4th Avenue Flyover beginning this spring
To support our downtown and our growing city, The City of Calgary is investing in several major infrastructure projects in and around the downtown to extend the lifespan of our transportation infrastructure, bolster our flood resilience, and connect Calgarians in new ways. One key piece of that investment is a rehabilitation of the 4th Avenue Flyover.
Site preparations began in March to extend the service life of the 4th Avenue Flyover by roughly 35 years. Originally built in 1982, recent inspections showed that parts of the 42-year-old bridge were deteriorating due to age and needed rehabilitation. Repairs and improvements are necessary to help ensure the bridge continues to be functional, reliable, and in good condition for commuter use for years to come. Since deterioration accelerates over time, it is important for The City to make these repairs to minimize additional costs and avoid an even longer construction period. Rehabilitating this flyover aligns with our goal to help maintain a safe and efficient transportation network for all citizens. Included in this work, streetlights will be added on the bridge to improve roadway visibility for motorists.
“The 4th Avenue Flyover is a very important structure as it’s used by many Calgarians and visitors to commute into downtown,” said Max Lacroix, Project Manager and Senior Structural Engineer. “We understand this work may be impactful to those traveling in the area, local residents and businesses and we thank all Calgarians and visitors for their patience as we carry out this important rehabilitation.”
We know that road construction can make commuting more difficult. Many factors are considered when scheduling road closures, including coordination with other work happening in the area, emergency vehicle access, special events scheduled in the area, and available alternate routes, as well as the urgency of the work being completed. We actively monitor the impact of construction activities on traffic, and makes every effort to minimize disruptions to your commute by coordinating work between projects, reviewing and changing traffic signal timing, and wherever possible, scheduling traffic impacts during off-peak hours and on weekends.
Allocating $12.5 million to the restoration of Calgary’s longest bridge is a crucial aspect of the broader downtown area investment. Construction will begin in early April 2024 and is anticipated to be complete by late fall 2025. Upcoming traffic impacts are noted below:
1. Wednesday, April 3 to Friday, April 5 – Off-peak single lane closures on the flyover to conduct pre-construction site surveys.
2. Friday, April 5 at 9 p.m. to Monday, April 8 at 5 a.m. – Complete closure of the flyover to set up construction (weather dependent).
3. Starting Monday, April 8 – One lane on the flyover will be closed (24/7) and accordingly traffic will be reduced to a single lane. (Note that both lanes will be open to traffic during the Calgary Stampede.)
Construction activities are dependent on several factors. Timelines may change due to weather, complexity, supply chain, and/or other unexpected circumstances.
Throughout construction, there may be lane closures of underpass roads for overhead work. These closures will be temporary and scheduled during off-peak hours.
Access for Emergency Services and Transit will be maintained except during the full closures. Detour routes will be planned.
We know that construction can be disruptive and make travel through the area more challenging. When traveling downtown, Calgarians should plan for and expect delays and traffic congestion due to reduced lanes, lower speed limits and detours. Commuters are advised to allow extra travel time and use alternate routes and modes of transportation or carpool when possible. For up-to-date information on road closures and detours visit calgary.ca/trafficinfo.
The City thanks Calgarians once again for your patience through this important work.
For more information and to sign up to receive regular updates, visit Calgary.ca/4aveflyoverrehab.