West Calgary Ring Road project receives Alberta TEC Partnering Award for exemplifying excellence in construction partnering

At the Consulting Engineers of Alberta's Transportation Connects Alberta Conference earlier this month, the West Calgary Ring Road DB2 - Highway 8 to Old Banff Coach Road Segment project was honoured with a Partnering Award by Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors. The Partnering Awards is a recognition program held annually that celebrates completed contracts that best promotes, adheres to, and optimizes the principles of partnering.

The project team, including Associated Engineering with Tetra Tech (owner's engineer) and Calgary Safelink Partners (contractor) with Hatch/CIMA+ (design lead), collaborated to address significant challenges and achieve critical milestones. The West Calgary Ring Road DB2 project was a complex undertaking, forming the final phase to the completion of Calgary's ring road, and work began at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The work involved a range of construction and design challenges, environmental considerations, and safety measures. By prioritizing partnering, innovation, collaboration, and adaptability, the project team successfully overcame significant technical, environmental, and logistical challenges, ensuring the timely delivery of Calgary’s final ring road segment.

This segment of the West Calgary Ring Road, also known as the South project or Design-Build project 2 (DB2), included the construction of five kilometres of new six- and eight-lane freeway, six kilometres of urban crossroads, and several local road connections. The project also included seven new bridges and two bridge-sized culverts. Additionally, 18 overhead sign structures were required for the systems interchange at Stoney Trail/Highway 8 and the interchanges at Old Banff Coach Road, Bow Trail SW, and 17 Avenue SW. The project also involved significant rock excavation, stormwater systems, and extensive utility relocations.

The work spanned from 2020 to 2024 and opened ten months early to traffic in 2023, culminating in a system that enhances regional connectivity and public safety through 101 kilometres of free-flow freeway around the city.

Congratulations to all of the project partners on this incredible achievement and well deserved honour!

Also at the awards event, Associated Engineering was recognized with a Minister's Award for Transportation Innovation on the Deerfoot Trail Improvements – Alternative Contamination Management project!