As construction continues on one of Alberta’s busiest transportation corridors, traffic will shift to the new Ivor Strong Bridge, and rehabilitation will begin on the existing bridge. The new bridge is expected to open to traffic on July 27.
Once fully operational, the new Ivor Strong Bridge will carry all southbound traffic, while the existing bridge – once rehabilitation is complete – will be dedicated to northbound vehicles. Both structures will feature four lanes in each direction, improving safety, increasing capacity and reducing congestion for thousands of daily commuters.
“Our government is committed to delivering major infrastructure projects on time and on budget. When these improvements are complete, Calgarians will spend less time in traffic and more time where it matters most, while benefiting from a safer and more reliable transportation corridor.”
Construction continues across other sections of Deerfoot Trail, with crews focusing on completing other bridge structures, installing barriers and lighting, and paving.
Drivers can expect continued changes to traffic patterns throughout 2026 and 2027 as upgrades progress. Night work is being used when possible to minimize disruptions, and regular maintenance – including pothole repairs and line painting – continues.
Once all improvements are complete, commuters are projected to save about 15 per cent on their morning drive time and up to 22 per cent on evening commutes. Annually, these upgrades are expected to save about 900,000 hours of drive time.
Quick Facts
- Deerfoot Trail is a major north-south freeway in Calgary that has been in operation since the 1970s.
- Up to 180,000 vehicles travel Deerfoot Trail daily.
- The complete $700 million Deerfoot Trail Improvements project will support about 2,100 direct construction jobs over its 5-year life cycle.
- Improvements on the existing Ivor Strong Bridge include:
- removal of the existing concrete median barrier
- expansion joint retrofitting
- removal of existing streetlight poles
- Renovation work will be confined to the bridge deck and will not impact the bridge piers and abutments, or require in-river work.
- Four projects have been completed:
- McKnight Boulevard NE – began spring 2023, completed fall 2025
- 16th Avenue NE – began summer 2024, completed fall 2025
- Beddington Trail NW & 11 Street NE – began spring 2023, completed fall 2024
- 64th Avenue NE – began fall 2022, completed summer 2023
- The entire Deerfoot Trail Improvements Project includes:
- about 70 kilometres of lane resurfacing
- about 40 kilometres of lane widening
- about 20 kilometres of new concrete barriers
- rehabilitation of two existing bridges
- construction of seven new bridges
- installation of new lighting across about 77 per cent of Deerfoot Trail