City studying how to improve traffic flow at Heritage Drive, MacLeod Trail intersection

As several nearby development projects occur, the City of Calgary is looking for ways to improve traffic flow and safety at the intersection of MacLeod Trail and Heritage Drive S.W.

The city has launched a functional planning study to review the crossing — an early-stage planning document that will determine long-term recommendations on the intersection’s future design.

The review will consider previous plans to address the intersection’s long-standing traffic conflicts and safety challenges, according to a web page devoted to the study. The city’s traffic engineers will come up with options to reduce vehicular congestion and enhance pedestrian and motorist safety.

Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

Zeesean Abdy, a senior transportation engineer for the city, said traffic delays, particularly along Heritage Drive, can be worsened by the CTrain and freight trains that cross the road just to the west of MacLeod Trail.

“We’re here to see how we could improve congestion delays and enhance safety for everyone,” he said in an interview. “We’re also looking into opportunities for travel by car, transit, bike and on-foot to be faster and more reliable.”

The city will also review drainage and utility constraints; environmental impacts and how the intersection meshes with the Heritage Communities local area plan, which the previous city council approved in 2023.

Previous city-led traffic studies from 2010 and 2013, along with public feedback, confirmed the need for intersection improvements and the need for Heritage Drive to no longer cross railway or LRT tracks, according to the web page, which added those analyses recommended raising Heritage Drive above or burying it below the existing train tracks.

Since funding was not previously secured for the recommended traffic improvements cited in those studies, Abdy said a new review is necessary to assess current traffic issues exacerbated by the existing CPKC and CTrain tracks; the area’s growth, population and commercial development; changes in travel patterns and road access points; and connections to nearby businesses and residences.

Once the study is complete, the findings will guide future stages of design and construction and support future funding considerations in the coming years. However, r ecommendations will not automatically be built once the study is complete, Abdy said, as they will require city council’s support to receive funding.

Abdy said the functional planning study is currently in the first phase, which includes soliciting user feedback. An in-person open house was held Saturday at the Haysboro Community Centre and he noted the project team will host a 90-minute online public engagement session this Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Registration is required to attend the webinar and can be done at calgary.ca/macleodheritagestudy