By Geoff Smith (@GeoffSmithLNN on Twitter)

Métis Trail open following two-year project

Oct 26, 2018 | 2:45 PM

LETHBRIDGE – It’s now smooth sailing (save for one stoplight) on a major west-side thoroughfare.

As of around noon Friday, Oct. 26, Métis Trail has opened between Country Meadows Blvd. and Garry Drive. Drivers now have a complete route between Temple Blvd. in the south and Walsh Drive in the north.

Road infrastructure manager Richard Brummund said the work is essentially done, with just some landscaping and filling-in of holes remaining, along with a couple more days of work on the adjacent pathway.

“You know, with all of the development, there was a lot of pressure on the existing roads,” Brummund said. “This is really going to relieve the pressure from the delay from traffic, with all the attractions here, so traffic is going to move a lot quicker and faster and a lot less delay.”

The two-year project began in 2017 with construction of the portion of Métis Trail between Whoop-Up Drive and Garry Drive. It also included the twinning of Whoop-Up between the McMaster Blvd./Jerry Potts Blvd. intersection past the ATB Centre to 30 St. W. and expanded intersections.

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With the exception of one intersection, all access on and off of Métis Trail is via roundabout or right-in/right-out intersection. That exception is Garry Drive, which has a full set of traffic lights.

“A few years ago, that was already established (as) a signalized intersection,” Brummund explained. “We look at both roundabouts and signalized intersections as traffic control. We’re leaning towards roundabouts a lot more, but we still have the odd signal.”

He said overall, it’s a good time for a major expansion of the road network, not just to relieve existing pressure but to accommodate future growth in the area. The city said the total project came in within the $17.3 million budget.

Brummund said allowing two years gave them the certainty of bringing it in on time, even with 40-degree days while they were paving the University/Walsh intersection and snow at the tail end of the project.

Design work is being completed on the next major west-side project. Construction is expected to begin next spring on twinning a portion of University Drive.