Calgarians will soon be able to drive on the new Ivor Strong Bridge when travelling on Deerfoot Trail in the city’s southeast. Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen announced Tuesday that traffic is expected to shift to the new Ivor Strong Bridge on July 27, at which time rehabilitation of the existing bridge will begin. Deerfoot Trail, in operation since the 1970s, is managed and maintained by Alberta’s provincial government. The province launched the Deerfoot Trail Upgrade Project in 2023, which includes plans to redevelop not only the Ivor Strong Bridge, but also Anderson Road/Bow Bottom Trail, Southland Drive and Glenmore Trail. Once everything is fully operational, the new Ivor Strong Bridge will carry all southbound traffic and the existing bridge will be for northbound traffic. Both will have four lanes in each direction. “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,” Dreeshen said. According to provincial data, up to 180,000 vehicles travel Deerfoot Trail daily. The complete cost of the province’s Deerfoot Trail Upgrade Project is $700 million.
