Since Parks Canada completed the twinning of the final 8.5 km (5.3 mi) of Highway 1 between Lake Louise and the British Columbia border in June, 2012 the entire length of Highway 1 is now a minimum of four lanes.[3] The highway is a freeway between the Sunshine and Sarcee Trail Interchanges with no at-grade intersections. The rest of the highway (outside of Calgary) mostly consists of a divided four-lane expressway with a few interchanges or signal lights only near major communities (such as Medicine Hat) and at-grade intersections. In Calgary the highway consists of a blend of both limited access (freeway) sections and heavily signalizes arterial thoroughfares carrying four to six lanes.
Banff National Park
The entire segment of Highway 1 through the Banff National Park is maintained by the Government of Canada.[5] All sections of Highway 1 in the National Park have wildlife fences and crossings to keep animals off the road while still allowing for migration. The speed limit on Highway 1 in the National Park is 90 km/h (56 mph).
British Columbia Highway 1 becomes Alberta Highway 1 as it crosses Kicking Horse Pass into Alberta (the pass also marks the boundary between Yoho National Park and Banff National Park).[3] From the pass the 4 lane highway descends a moderate grade before turning southeast to follow the wide Bow River valley. Upon reaching the bottom of the hill Highway 1 crosses the Bow River for the first time. Immediately afterwards it reaches its first junction at an interchange to head north on Highway 93 (the Icefields Parkway). Highway 93 South runs concurrently with Highway 1 for the next 25 km (16 mi). Shortly after that Highway 1/93 crosses the Pipestone River and passes through another small diamond interchange at Lake Louise Drive servicing the Hamlet of Lake Louise, the Lake Louise Ski Resort, The Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A) and access to Lake Louise itself as well as Moraine Lake. From there the highway crosses the Bow River for the second time and travels along the west bank of the river passing by the Taylor Lake trailhead before reaching an important interchange for Highway 93 South (Banff-Radium Highway) which is also a midpoint access to the Bow Valley Parkway. From there the highway continues past two more at-grade trailhead turn-offs (Redearth and Bourgeau Lake) with views of the Sawback Range along the way. After passing an interchange for the Banff-Sunshine Ski Area the highway bends to the east, crosses the Bow River for a third time, and passes through a small interchange for the Bow Valley Parkway before climbing up from the river alongside a cliff with a rest area on the eastbound side giving views of Mount Rundle, the Banff townsite and the Vermilion Lakes. Shortly afterwards the highway then passes through an interchange servicing Banff and the Mt Norquay ski area. From there the highway bends to the southeast while passing through another interchange providing access to Banff and Lake Minnewanka. The highway then continues south along the benchlands above the Bow River before exiting the park 81 km (50 mi) kilometres from the BC border.
Shortly after leaving Banff Park the highway passes through the Hamlet of Harvie Heights and the mountain town of Canmore which is serviced by four interchanges, Highway 1A (Bow Valley Trail), Benchlands Trail, Highway 1A (Bow Valley Trail) and after crossing the Bow River, Alberta Highway 742 (Three Sisters Parkway). From there the highway curves east again and travels by the hamlets of Dead Man's Flats and Lac des Arcs each serviced by its own interchange. A westbound rest area on the shore of Lac des Arcs provides access to the water. From there the highway exits the mountains passing the interchange for Alberta Highway 1X, a 1 km (0.62 mi) connection to Highway 1A (also used to access Bow Valley Provincial Park). It then crosses the Kananaskis River, enters the Stoney-Nakoda First Nation Reserve and shortly afterwards passes the interchange for Alberta Highway 40 (Kananaskis Trail), the main access to Kananaskis Country. The highway then continues east across the Morley Reserve passing by 3 more interchanges for minor reserve roads before climbing up a short but steep hill to a high point at Jack Lake Hill and exiting the Reserve. After descending from the hill Highway 1 passes a small interchange for little used Highway 68 and continues due east across level terrain and agricultural lands passing through several other small interchanges. As it approaches Calgary the highway passes an important interchange at Highway 22 servicing the town of Cochrane and Bragg Creek,[6] where traffic volumes double. Traffic continues to pick up as it passes through the Springbank semi-rural area through two more interchanges at Springbank Road and Highway 563 (Old Banff Coach Road) after which the highway widens from 4 to 8 lanes and enters Calgary city limits. Immediately after entering Calgary, the highway enters a large free-flowing combination interchange with Stoney Trail (Highway 201) after which Alberta Transportation authority ends and Highway 1 becomes City of Calgary-maintained 16th Avenue.
16th Avenue
Highway 1 and 1X interchange and with crossing of the Kananaskis River visible.
In Calgary, Highway 1 follows 16 Avenue N and is maintained by the City of Calgary for its 27 km (17 mi) length. Plans for a crosstown Highway 1 Freeway were cancelled decades ago, leaving the city section of Highway 1 as primarily an urban arterial road. Stoney Trail (Highway 201) provides an alternate controlled-access freeway route around the north and south sides of the city and is the signed bypass of 16 Avenue. It is also possible to head south on Stoney Trail to link up with Alberta Highway 22X in South Calgary, which eventually connects back to Highway 1 near Gleichen.
After the Interchange with Stoney Trail, 16th Avenue continues as a freeway passing through an interchange with Canada Olympic Drive and Sarcee Trail before crossing the Bow River for the fifth and final time entering the neighbourhood of Montgomery. There, the freeway ends, and the speed limit drops to 50 km/h (31 mph) with 16th Avenue becoming a 4-lane "urban boulevard" (as defined by the City of Calgary) with multiple signal lights.[9] After exiting Montgomery, 16th Avenue begins short 4-lane expressway section with some small interchanges at Shaganappi Trail, West Campus Way, University Drive and Crowchild Trail (as well as a signalized interchange at 29th Street) as it passes by the Foothills Medical Centre and McMahon Stadium. It then enters central Calgary and becomes a heavily developed, 6-lane urban boulevard once again passing through 21 signal lights before reaching Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2) where it crosses the major freeway on a split diamond interchange featuring more signal lights on 16th Avenue. In East Calgary the highway becomes a 4-lane expressway once again passing through three interchanges (Barlow Trail, 36th Street, and 52nd Street) and two signal lights (19th Street and 68th Street) before City of Calgary authority ends and Highway 1 enters an Alberta Transportation maintained free-flowing interchange with Stoney Trail (Highway 201) at the edge of the city.
Calgary to Saskatchewan
Upon exiting Calgary, Highway 1 is maintained by Alberta Transportation for 273 km (170 mi) until it reaches the City of Medicine Hat.[6][7] This segment of the highway generally travels in a southeast direction through the rural municipalities of Rocky View County, Wheatland County, the County of Newell, and Cypress County.[8] The speed limit on the highway east of Calgary is mostly 110 km/h (68 mph) except in Medicine Hat and Strathmore.
Upon exiting Calgary the highway becomes a rural expressway with at-grade intersections and limited interchanges. Shortly after leaving Calgary the highway enters the City of Chestermere and passes through an interchange at Chestermere Boulevard (formerly Highway 1A).[6] From there Highway 1 goes straight east through flat terrain with the only major junctions being an interchange for Highway 9 and at grade intersections for Highway 791 and Highway 24. It then enters the town of Strathmore (which features a 50 km/h (31 mph) speed limit and several signal lights) marking the limit of most Calgary commuter traffic. From there on east to Medicine Hat the highway is flat and has few corners. There are no significant communities along this long section of highway except for Bassano, Brooks, and Suffield, and no interchanges except at two junctions in Brooks. The only noteworthy junctions on this stretch of Highway 1 are at Highway 56 and Highway 36 (both at grade).
Within Medicine Hat, Highway 1 is a controlled access highway with 6 interchanges.[7] The majority of the highway in the city is a freeway; however, a section between the South Saskatchewan River and Seven Persons Creek still has a few at-grade intersections. The length of Highway 1 within Medicine Hat is 13 km (8 mi).[6]
East of Medicine Hat, Highway 1 is maintained by Alberta Transportation for 48 km (30 mi) until it enters Saskatchewan,[6][7] continuing as Saskatchewan Highway 1.[3] This segment of the highway generally travels in an east direction through Cypress County.[8] For urban communities, this segment passes through the Hamlet of Dunmore and by the hamlets of Irvine and Walsh.[6]Highway 41 (which has a short concurrency with Highway 1) is the only noteworthy junction east of Medicine Hat.
History
A review of historical Alberta Official Road Maps shows that Highway 1 was numbered Highway 2 prior to 1941 (while Highway 2 as it is known today was numbered Highway 1 prior to 1941).[2]
Exit numbering along Highway 1 began in 2005.[10][11] As of March 2010, only the stretch of Highway 1 between Banff National Park and Calgary had been assigned exit numbers.[6]
Between 1964 and 1972, a completely new route from Calgary to Canmore was built. The route included new overpasses, bridges, the Canmore Bypass, and a 4-lane divided highway. In 1976, Parks Canada began twinning Highway 1 through Banff National Park, with the highway twinned to Banff by 1985 and to Castle Junction by 1997.[12] Twinning of the 33.5 km (20.8 mi) section between Castle Junction and the British Columbia border was completed in 2014,[12] with the final 8.5 km (5.3 mi) of Highway 1 between Lake Louise and the British Columbia border opening to traffic on June 12 of that year.[13] Between 1973 and 1990 the highway was twinned from Calgary to the Saskatchewan Border.
Future
Alberta Transportation has long-term, conceptual plans for Highway 1 to have a phased upgrade to a freeway standard within its area of jurisdiction (outside Banff National Park and Calgary city limits). Currently, areas that have been studied are a proposed interchange located between Garden Road and Conrich Road,[14] Rainbow Road near Chestermere,[15] and Highway 36 near Brooks.[16] There is not timeline for construction of these interchanges.
Strathmore
Alberta Transportation has plans for a bypass around the Town of Strathmore.[17] Initial proposals included a realignment northwest of Gleichen, continuing west to run south of Eagle Lake and then continuing northwest where it will rejoin the existing alignment near Cheadle, between Highway 24 and Strathmore, as well as a link to the Highway 22X corridor.[18] The final proposal is a more scaled back realignment around Strathmore to the south, bypassing approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) of existing Highway 1,[1][17] and the right-of-way is currently designated as Highway 1X.[6] There is no timeline for construction.
Medicine Hat
The Trans-Canada Highway has a few remaining signalized intersections within Medicine Hat, and Alberta Transportation is studying both a long-term realignment of Highway 1, as well as possible upgrades to the existing alignment. The realignment would bypass Redcliff, Medicine Hat and Dunmore to the south, bypassing approximately 33 kilometres (21 mi) of existing Highway 1,[1][19] and the right-of-way is also currently designated as Highway 1X.[6] Possible upgrades to the existing alignment include a new interchange at 1 Street SW and intersection closures at 6 Street SW and 16 Street SW.[20][21] There is no timeline for the bypass construction or any upgrades to the existing alignment.
Interchange; no westbound exit to northbound Crowchild Trail; access to McMahon Stadium and University of Calgary; west end of former Hwy 1A concurrency
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