Macleod Trail (Calgary)

MacLeod Trail in downtown Calgary, 2011

MacLeod Trail in downtown Calgary during the 2013 Alberta floods

Macleod Trail is a major road in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a six- to eight-lane principal arterial road extending from downtown Calgary to the south of the city, where it merges into Highway 2. South of Anderson Road, Macleod Trail is an expressway and is slated to be upgraded to a freeway in the future.^{[citation needed]} It is named for its destination to the south, Fort Macleod.

The road effectively divides the south-west and the south-east quadrants of the city, and many communities (inner city as well as suburban) were developed along its course.^[1] Macleod Trail (along with Crowchild Trail-Glenmore Trail-14 Street S and Anderson Road) constitutes one of the four major north-south corridors of the city.^[2]

In the downtown section, the road passes by Calgary City Hall, Olympic Plaza, the Calgary Public Library, and the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts. South of downtown, it defines the western edge of the Calgary Stampede grounds, as it passes through the Beltline district, then provides access to Talisman Centre as it runs between the historic inner city communities of Mission and Ramsay. South of Elbow River, Macleod Trail becomes a two-way road and has various motels established on its sides, and Chinook Centre faces the road as it passes between the communities of Meadowlark Park, Kingsland and Fairview. Macleod Trail is lined with commercial developments on both sides for its entire length between Erlton and Lake Bonavista, including strip malls, auto malls, big-box stores and shopping centres such as Southcentre Mall, and Calgary's largest suburban office complex at Southland Park. The southern leg of the C-Train LRT system (Route 201) is also developed along Macleod Trail.

In November 2007, Calgary City Council approved a functional planning study for the portion of Macleod Trail that extends from Anderson Road north to Downtown. Expected recommendations include interchanges at Heritage Drive and Southland Drive, as well as possible traffic signal refinements.^[3] In addition, three other interchange locations are planned to be constructed within ten years. They are at the intersection with Lake Fraser Gate, at the intersection with 162 Avenue, and at the intersection with 194 Avenue.^[4][5] This would make Macleod Trail a freeway from Anderson Road to the city limits.

Exits and major intersections

From north to south, the following intersections are observed along Macleod Trail:

MacLeod Trail Exit list

Entering the City of Calgary km 0 Begins as one-way pair with 1st Street at Riverfront Avenue One-way arterial segment through Downtown Calgary km 0.2 4th Avenue flyover from Memorial Drive At-grade intersection, 4th avenue is a westbound one-way road km 0.2 5th Avenue east to Memorial Drive5th Avenue is an eastbound one-way road km 0.3 Highway 1A westbound - 6th Avenue6th Avenue is a westbound one-way road km 0.5 Highway 1A eastbound - 9th Avenue9th Avenue is a eastbound one-way road km 0.5 CPR tracks underpass Underpasses below railway tracks, leaves downtown km 1.9 Crosses Elbow River km 2.0 1st Street SE merges with Macleod Trail; becomes two-way divided arterial road Continues as arterial road south of downtown Calgary km 7.5 Glenmore Trail SPUI interchange with Glenmore Trail, at-grade intersections on Macleod Trail km 9.0 Heritage Drive At-grade intersection, interchange planned km 10.5 Southland Drive At-grade intersection, interchange planned km 12.4 To Southcentre Mall Northbound exit only km 12.5 Anderson Road Becomes expressway, speed limit changes to 80km/h Lake Willow Road to Lake Fraser Drive and Avenida Bonavista Shopping Mall Northbound exit & entrance only Lake Fraser Gate to Lake Fraser Drive and Avenida Bonavista Shopping Mall At-grade intersection, interchange planned km 14.0 Canyon Meadows Drive km 14.5 Crosses Fish Creek Provincial Park Shawnee Drive Southbound exit, northbound entrance only James McKevitt Road Southbound exit & entrance only Bannister Road Northbound exit & entrance only Shawnessy Blvd km 17.5 162 Avenue, Sun Valley Boulevard At-grade intersection, interchange planned km 19.0 Highway 22X - Stoney Trail; Highway 2A enters Macleod Trail 194 Avenue At-grade intersection, interchange planned km 21.0 Leaving the City of Calgary Continues as 4-lane divided highway south of Calgary Merges with Highway 2 (Deerfoot Trail) south of Calgary Continues as Highway 2 south to Okotoks, Fort Macleod and Lethbridge

See also

• Transportation in Calgary

References