Calgary's ring road delay may drive surprise costs

A decision by the Notley government to delay the westring road could mean a big bill for the City of Calgary.

• Southwest ring road project gets $583M from Ottawa
• Southwest ring road construction to start next year

The province intends to start construction of the southwest ring road in 2016on land formerly owned by the Tsuut'ina Nation tobe ready for traffic in 2021.

However,traffic from the newly-opened ring road will spill onto GlenmoreTrail or Sarcee Trailbecause the west leg won't be done by then.

Coun.Richard Pootmans says that's a concern.

"Sarcee is almost atcapacity if not at capacityright now."

The city's transportation and transit committee had a look on Wednesdayat the options for dealing with that additional traffic.

Depending on how many interchanges and other improvements that may be ultimatelyapproved, the pricetag could run from $70 million all the way up to $250 million.

A report spells out the need for a new interchange at Sarcee Trail and Richmond Road S.W.

But other projects could include:

• Widening Sarcee Trail from Richmond Road to Bow Trail.
• Lane reversal on Bow Trail between Sarcee Trail and 37th Street S.W.
• Amajor new interchange at SarceeTrailand Bow Trail.

The committee voted to have the city continue discussions with the provincial government on its plans for the west ringroad and to talk about the need for additional money for Sarcee Trail if that final leg of the ring road isn't completed at the same time as the southwest portion.

"We would hope that they would understand thatit isa direct result fromtheir infrastructureand therefore they should help us pay for it," saidcommittee's chairCoun.ShaneKeating.

Administration officials say if the west leg is delayed, then construction on an interchange at Sarcee Trail and Richmond Road should get underway in 2019 or 2020 toensure it'sready for the completion of the southwest ring road in late 2021.

The city currently has that interchange on itslist of unfundedprojects; however, that list will be updated as part of itsnext budget cycle which would cover the years 2019-2022.