Summer means construction season and one big bridge project begins in Calgary’s southwest starting next Monday.

The City of Calgary announced that, starting May 13, 2024, the Mission Bridge will undergo major infrastructure upgrade to prolong its life and improve its utility. This plan includes closing the bridge to motor vehicles starting in the fall of 2024.

The Mission Bridge was originally constructed in 1915 and was last rehabilitated in 1987. The City is investing $17.8 million into this year’s improvements, adding 35 years to the bridge’s life.

Construction on the bridge will cause significant disruptions to traffic during the rehabilitation. This summer the west lane will be closed, followed by the east lane leading into fall. The bridge will then be closed to all motor vehicles for an estimated six months. 

“The moment that bridge goes into a full rehab mode, detours around those communities to get back into the core will be significant for transit, and for fire,” said Ward 8 City Councillor Courtney Walcott when asked about traffic disruptions. 

Walcott said the bridge rehab is in line with the area’s evolution, providing more robust mobility options.

“Taking this opportunity to both remediate the bridge after the flood give it more life but then also finish the connections that are leftover from some of the other multi-use pathways that are there,” he said.

Residents of the area will have to reroute their vehicle commutes to Macleod Trail to reach the core. This project adds to the many construction projects happening in downtown Calgary this summer.

“It’s not only the traffic congestion we get from the bridge, we also have all of the condo construction that’s going on on Fifth Street and Second Street and, and the avenues, too,” said Rick Williams, a member of the Cliff Bungalow Community Association.

Williams said that the information about the changes wasn’t as accessible to the residents of the community as it should have been leading up to the project. Signage for the upcoming closures only went up May 6, he said.

Pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained but may be limited during the entire construction process. The City stated that cyclists will likely have to dismount on the bridge during the changes.

The improvements will not only increase the bridge’s lifespan but many changes are being put in place as well. These include lighting improvements, additional traffic lights on the north side, and a multi-use pathway to increase accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. The construction is scheduled to be finished in late 2025.

Planning your future detours

The following construction schedule is planned for the bridge: (Courtesy the City of Calgary)

·       May 13 through Late Summer 2024: the west lane across the bridge will be closed. The east side of the bridge will be modified to allow one north and one southbound lane.  Cyclists will continue to share the road with motorists while pedestrian access will be maintained on the east side of the bridge.  During this time, access to Elbow Island from the west side of the bridge will not be possible. 

·       Late Summer through Fall 2024: the east side lane will be closed. During this lane reduction, the west side of the bridge will be modified to allow one north and one southbound lane.  As with the Spring/Summer lane reduction, cyclists will continue to share the road with motorists while pedestrian access will be maintained on the west side of the bridge.  

·       Fall 2024 through Spring 2025: the bridge will fully be closed to motor vehicles. Pedestrians and cyclists will still be accommodated, including access to Elbow Island.

·       Spring 2025: the bridge will reopen to two-way traffic with further planned lane reductions.

·       Late 2025: anticipated project completion.

“We’re working hard to minimize impacts to bridge users, area residents and surrounding local businesses,” said Max Lacroix, Project Manager and Senior Structural Engineer with The City, in a prepared media release.

There may also be some detours to avoid construction for those people floating down the Elbow River during the summer months, the city said.