Highway 8 improvements: Eastbound Elbow River bridge

Overview

The existing bridge, completed in 1970, is at the end of its service life and does not meet current highway standards or future highway needs. The new bridge will be realigned to improve safety, provide 2 lanes of travel for eastbound traffic over the river and reduce the overall footprint within the river. Construction began in summer 2025 and will continue through fall 2026.

24/7 construction

Beginning the week of September 8, 2025, construction activity will be 24/7 with construction workers and machinery onsite everyday of the week, all day and night. While measures will be in place to reduce the impact, nearby residents may still experience some noise from the work area. This work will continue for several weeks to allow the contractor to advance construction as much as possible throughout the remainder of the 2025 construction season. Onsite public signage has been updated to reflect the new work hours.

Project details

This project includes:

• demolition and disposal of the existing eastbound bridge
• construction of a new, realigned eastbound bridge over the Elbow River
• completion of Highway 8 twinning from just west of Lott Creek Boulevard to the Calgary city limits

Speed reductions

Speed limits in construction zones are reduced to protect construction workers and drivers. Speed limit reductions may remain in place even when construction workers might not be onsite. Because of construction, hazards may be on the side of the road or within the lanes of travel that may pose significant risk to drivers and construction workers, including:

• reduced lanes/lane widths
• changing traffic patterns
• temporary signage and overhead lighting
• suboptimal grading
• presence of machinery
• temporary barriers

Drivers are reminded to obey posted speed signs. Speed limit reductions will remain in place during construction.

River access

Parking along Highway 8 to access the river is prohibited. Access to the Elbow River is provided via Clearwater Park. Access to Clearwater Park is off Range Road 25. Due to limited parking, drivers are advised to visit the City of Calgary website for additional details.

Pedestrian access

Pedestrian and multi-modal traffic are outside the scope of this work and remain the responsibility of the local municipality, Rocky View County. The project site will remain closed to all foot traffic during construction to ensure the safety of the public and workers. Pedestrian access in the area is restricted to designated walking trails. Information about walking path/trail options are available on the City of Calgary website.

Contact

Inquiries can be directed to the project team at:
Email: [email protected]