Contract awarded to build South Bow River Bridge

Rendering of the new South Bow Bridge project over the Bow River at southeast Stoney Trail.

The contract was awarded for about $48 million and offers significant savings for taxpayers. The total project cost, which includes engineering and utility relocations, is estimated at $60 million – significantly less than the anticipated cost of $70 million.

“With the next step in this strategic project complete, we are creating hundreds of jobs to drive Alberta’s recovery and saving taxpayer dollars at a time of fiscal restraint. Calgarians can look forward to safer and faster rides on an even more complete Calgary Ring Road.”

Ric McIver, Minister of Transportation

“New and widened bridges are great news for south Calgary residents who have been waiting for safer ways to get to work and play. Alberta’s government is focused on strategic projects that deliver value and jobs when they’re needed most.”

Richard Gotfried, MLA for Calgary-Fish Creek

“PCL is excited to work with Alberta Transportation on this component of the Stoney Trail Calgary Ring Road, a key project to connect Calgarians. Once complete, this segment will be safer for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.”

Ankur Talwar, manager, Civil Operations, PCL Calgary

The South Bow River Bridge project also includes widening the westbound bridge and building a new, stand-alone pedestrian bridge.

Construction on the new bridge is anticipated to get underway in spring 2021 and be completed in late 2023.

Alberta’s Recovery Plan is a bold, ambitious long-term strategy to build, diversify, and create tens of thousands of jobs now. By building schools, roads and other core infrastructure we are benefiting our communities. By diversifying our economy and attracting investment with Canada’s most competitive tax environment, we are putting Alberta on a path for a generation of growth.

Quick facts

  • More than 53,000 vehicles travel over the bridge daily.
  • This number is expected to increase when the Calgary Ring Road is completed. 
  • The South Bow Bridge project will support about 244 jobs.
  • The project includes:
    • Widening the existing westbound bridge to add a fourth lane.
    • Replacing the existing eastbound Stoney Trail bridge with a new, wider bridge over the Bow River.
    • A new pedestrian bridge south of the existing bridge that will connect to the existing pathway networks.
    • Improvements to interchanges between Sun Valley Boulevard/Chaparral Boulevard and Cranston Boulevard /Mckenzie Lake Boulevard.
  • This project is part of the more than $10 billion infrastructure spending announced as part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan. This spending includes:
    • $6.9 billion Budget 2020 capital spending
    • $900 million accelerated for Capital Maintenance and Renewal
    • $200 million for Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program and water infrastructure projects
    • $700 million in strategic infrastructure projects, $500 million in municipal infrastructure,
    • $1.5 billion for Keystone XL
Alberta's Recovery Plan