Overview
Cochrane is expected to grow significantly, making an interchange the best option to accommodate travel in this area well into the future.
The intersection at Highway 1A and Highway 22 sees an average of more than 29,000 vehicles a day. These numbers are also expected to increase significantly over the coming years.
Separate from this work, the Town of Cochrane has begun widening a section of Highway 1A through the town. Town construction is expected to be completed in fall of 2023. Learn more about Cochrane’s Traffic Plan.
Project details
Major construction on this project began in May 2023 and will take about 3 years to complete. The project includes:
- Expanding Highway 1A from two to four lanes (2 lanes in each direction) from just west of Highway 22 to 6th Avenue (east of Big Hill Creek).
- Two new bridges on Highway 1A over Big Hill Creek (existing bridge will be removed)
- Replacing the Highway 22 CP Rail overpass over Highway 1A with a new larger overpass structure
- New interchange ramps and roundabouts connecting highways 1A and 22 as part of the interchange.
- The project limits extended eastward on Highway 1A so that it ties into Town of Cochrane’s Highway 1A Improvement project.
- The project limits expanded northward on Highway 22 just beyond the Sunset Blvd intersection.
Interchange project plan and design
Timelines
- Fall 2021 – Construction of bulk earthworks
- December 2022 – Major construction tender issued to industry
- March 2023 – Interchange contract awarded to EllisDon Construction Services
- May 2023 to Fall 2025 – Major construction underway
- Fall 2025 – Interchange opens to traffic
Anticipated traffic impacts
- Late June 2023 – Access to Range Road 43 at Highway 22 closes permanently.
- July to August 2023 – Access to Ranche Road and Ranchehouse Road at Highway 22 closed permanently on Monday, July 17, 2023.
- Summer 2023 – Fall 2024 – Temporary relocation of pedestrian access below Highway 1A along Bighill Creek to accommodate bridge construction.
- August 2023 – Temporary roundabout and Highway 1A west detour opens and will remain in use until 2025.
- Additional Highway 1A detours will come into effect throughout the project.
Benefits
This project will support economic development in Alberta by improving access to this area, allowing efficient movement of goods and people, in particular larger truck traffic, through Cochrane to access Highway 1 to the south and the Highway 22 corridor to the north. The new interchange will also:
- expand the capacity of both highways
- enhance safety
- accommodate future growth
Contact
For more information on the Cochrane interchange, contact the Southern Region Office:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 403-381-5426
Toll free: dial 310-0000 before the number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]
Address:
Southern Region Office
3rd Floor, Administration Building
909 3 Avenue North
Lethbridge, Alberta T1H 0H5
Open in Google Maps for directions