Transportation in Lethbridge

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There are many forms of transportation in Lethbridge, Alberta, including highways and public transit. Lethbridge's airport is Lethbridge County Airport (YQL), which is a short drive south of the city boundary. Lethbridge also has an intricate cycling/pedestrain pathway that meets several destinations in the city, including the urban park system in the Oldman River valley.

[edit] Commuting

In 2003, Lethbridge College conducted a public opinion survey regarding commuting choice in Lethbridge.^[1] This survey found that less than 20% of Lethbridge residents regularly used the public transit system.

In 2006, the Lethbridge Public Library released a study that stated in part up to 130,000 people commute to Lethbridge from a radius of 100 km.^[2] Since the local public transit system does not extend outside city boundaries, presumably these commuters use automobiles.

[edit] Public transit

The downtown Lethbridge transit terminal allows the buses to stop curbside to transfer passengers between routes

Main article: Lethbridge Transit

Mass transit in Lethbridge consists of 40 buses (with an average age of 10 years) covering most of the city on 16 routes and managed by Lethbridge Transit. Traditionally, all bus routes in the city started and ended downtown. In the early 21st century, however, cross-town and shuttle routes have been introduced. For example, there is now service from the University of Lethbridge to Lethbridge College, University of Lethbridge to the North Lethbridge terminal, and from Lethbridge College to the North Lethbridge terminal. Two of those routes still make brief stops downtown.

The transit system does not use zone fares and the cost of fare is the same regardless of the number of transfers made. Buses meet at four transit terminals: downtown, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge Community College, and the North Lethbridge terminal. Although not officially a terminal, several routes also converge near the Chinook Regional Hospital.

In addition to the transit system, Lethbridge has several taxicab and limousine companies offering service throughout the city and to destinations outside city limits (including the Lethbridge County Airport). Lethbridge also has a Greyhound depot, providing bus service to British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Calgary and Montana.

[edit] Coal Banks Trail system

Main article: Coal Banks Trail

The Parks and Recreation department maintains the city-wide, 30-kilometre, pedestrian/cyclist Coal Banks Trail system (map). The system was designed to connect the Oldman River valley with other areas of the city, including Pavan Park in the north, Henderson Park in the east, Highways 4 and 5 in the south and a loop in West Lethbridge (including University Drive and McMaster Blvd).

[edit] Rail service

In addition to having significant road service, Lethbridge is very close to the CPR rail yards in Kipp. The rail yards were moved to Kipp, just west of the city, from downtown Lethbridge in 1983 to make way for commercial expansion.

The city is located on a mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway with trackage east to Toronto, south to the United States, west to Vancouver, and north to Calgary. Despite the marshalling yard being located in Kipp, there are still full freight-handling facilities located in the city. In addition, spur trackage serves the industrial areas, and a rail loading facility is available to all businesses.

Rail service in Lethbridge includes the well-known Lethbridge Viaduct, known locally as the High Level Bridge. It is one of the highest and longest steel railway truss bridges in the world.

There is no passenger rail service that stops in Lethbridge.

[edit] Airport

The Lethbridge County Airport provides commercial flights to several Alberta cities (such as Calgary and Edmonton) and to Mexico, as well as private and charter flights to various other destinations. The airport also provides customs services for any flights coming in from the United States.

The airport is located on Highway 5 two kilometres south of the city.^[3]

[edit] Highways

Four provincial highways (3, 4, 5, and 25) run through or terminate in Lethbridge. This has led to the creation of major arterial roads (including Mayor Magrath Drive, University Drive and Scenic Drive) and a freeway (Crowsnest Trail). This, and the fact Lethbridge is located on the CANAMEX Corridor, has led to Lethbridge being a major shipping destination, with over a dozen trucking firms having depots located in the city.^[3]

Lethbridge is 100 kilometres (62 mi.) north of the United States border via Highways 4 and 5; and 210 km (130 mi.) south of Calgary via Highways 2 and 3. Highways 2, 3 and 4 form part of the CANAMEX trade route between Mexico, the United States, and Canada.^[3]

Highway 5 leads out to the Lethbridge County Airport, satellite communities (such as Magrath and Welling), Waterton Lakes National Park and the Canada-United States border via Highway 2. In the city limits, it intersects with Highway 4 and becomes Mayor Magrath Drive, which later intersects with the Crowsnest Highway.

Highway 4 leads out to satellite communities (such as Stirling and Warner) and the Canada-United States border, where it meets Interstate 15, connecting eventually to Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and San Diego. In the city limits, it intersects with Highway 5 and becomes Scenic Drive, which later intersects with Whoop-up Drive (the busiest road in Lethbridge) and Crowsnest Trail.

Highway 3 — also known as the Crowsnest Trail — provides east-west service to British Columbia and Medicine Hat, where it meets up with the Trans-Canada Highway. Fort Macleod is only 51 km (32 mi) west of Lethbridge and provides service to Calgary via Highway 2. Several satellite communities (such as Coalhurst and Coaldale) are located on Highway 3. Of all the highways servicing Lethbridge, only Highway 3 does not terminate in the city.

Highway 25 provides service to satellite communities (such as Picture Butte and Diamond City). In the city, the highway turns into University Drive and services a major retail centre and the University of Lethbridge. It intersects with Whoop-up Drive and the Crowsnest Highway.

[edit] Major roads

Lethbridge road network

The following are arterial and collector roads in Lethbridge. The numbers listed are the total number of maximum vehicle traffic during weekdays for 2005.^[4] Only roads reaching at least 6,000 vehicles per day, which is the cut off for a "major collector" classification, are listed below.

[edit] Major infrastructure projects

Since 2000, several major infrastructure projects have been implemented in the city to accommodate current and planned traffic use. From 2001–2005, Mayor Magrath Drive, the second busiest roadway in Lethbridge, was upgraded to six lanes from 3 Avenue South to 34 Avenue South.

In 2006, Whoop-up Drive, the busiest roadway in the city, was extended to 24 Avenue West. This extension provided direct service for the residential community of Sunset Acres and service for Benton Crossing, the planned commercial core of West Lethbridge. In addition, University Drive was widened from Whoop-up Drive to the location of the proposed sports arena, making the roadway six lanes in areas, including multiple turning lanes onto access roads for the University of Lethbridge.

Future projects include extending Scenic Drive to Stafford Drive North by 2012.^[5] Discussions have taken place regarding the creation of Benton Drive in West Lethbridge (paralleling University Drive) and Chinook Trail, a ring-road intersecting with Crowsnest Trail on the westside and connecting with 43 Street South in the east. Chinook Trail would include a third crossing of the Oldman River.

[edit] Notes