Alberta Highway 2A
 Highway 2A | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Highway 2A highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of Highway 2 | ||||
| Maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors | ||||
| Southern Alberta segment | ||||
| Length | 41 km[1] (25 mi) | |||
| South end |  Highway 543 in High River | |||
| Major intersections |  Highway 7 at Okotoks | |||
| North end |  Highway 201 in Calgary | |||
| Central Alberta segment | ||||
| Length | 229 km[1] (142 mi) | |||
| South end |   Highway 2 / Highway 72 near Crossfield | |||
| Major intersections |  Highway 27 in Olds Highway 42 in Penhold Highway 2 in Red Deer Highway 11 in Red Deer Highway 11A in Red Deer Highway 12 in Lacombe Highway 53 in Ponoka Highway 13 in Wetaskiwin | |||
| North end | Highway 2 in Leduc | |||
| Northern Alberta segments | ||||
| Length | 38 km[1] (24 mi) High Prairie 27 km (17 mi) Grimshaw 11 km (7 mi) | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Canada | |||
| Province | Alberta | |||
| Specialized and rural municipalities | Foothills County, Rocky View County, Mountain View County, Red Deer County, Lacombe County, Ponoka County, Wetaskiwin No. 10 County, Leduc County, Lesser Slave River No. 124 M.D., Big Lakes County, Smoky River No. 130 M.D., Peace No. 135 M.D. | |||
| Major cities | Calgary, Red Deer, Lacombe, Wetaskiwin, Leduc | |||
| Towns | High River, Okotoks, Crossfield, Carstairs, Olds, Bowden, Innisfail, Penhold, Blackfalds, Ponoka, Millet, Grimshaw | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Highway 2A[2] is the designation of six alternate routes off Highway 2 in Alberta, Canada. In general, these are original sections of Highway 2, such as the southern portion of Macleod Trail in Calgary. They passed through communities before limited-access freeways were built to shorten driving distance, accommodate heavier volumes and to bypass city traffic. Portions of the alignment of Highway 2A follow the route of the former Calgary and Edmonton Trail, a historic overland route that predates the province of Alberta itself.
The six segments of Highway 2A span three broad regions of the province. The southernmost runs 41 km (25 mi) from High River north to Calgary as Macleod Trail. The Central Alberta segment, the longest at 229 km (142 mi), runs in two sub-sections from near Crossfield to Leduc, passing through Red Deer and several smaller communities along the way. The three northern segments—at Smith, near High Prairie, and at Grimshaw—together cover 53 km (33 mi) in the Peace River Country and Lesser Slave Lake region.
History
The Central Alberta segment of Highway 2A was, until the early 1960s, the primary route between Calgary and Edmonton. Much of that alignment in turn follows the older Calgary and Edmonton Trail, a trade route in use by Indigenous peoples long before European settlement and traveled by explorer David Thompson in 1800. The more developed overland trail was blazed by John McDougall in 1873 and extended to Calgary by 1875; mail service between Calgary and Edmonton began operating over the route in July 1883.[3]
By the late 1950s, the two-lane highway through communities such as Carstairs, Olds, the centre of Red Deer, Blackfalds, Ponoka, and Wetaskiwin was inadequate for growing traffic. Plans for a new four-lane divided highway bypassing most of those communities were developed and the bypass of Red Deer and Lacombe was announced by minister Gordon Taylor on September 15, 1960, at a meeting in Red Deer. The new route veered west of the existing road to cross the Red Deer and Blindman Rivers before rejoining it north of Lacombe; the routing surprised local residents, who had expected the bypass to pass east of the city.[4] The former two-lane route had been carrying 5,000 vehicles per day.[5] The bypass opened on November 21, 1962,[6] and the former route through Red Deer was redesignated as Highway 2A.
In Calgary, Highway 2A was established along Barlow Trail in 1971 when Highway 2 was realigned onto the newly constructed Blackfoot Trail freeway (later renamed Deerfoot Trail). The Barlow Trail designation of Highway 2A was phased out in the mid-1980s, after a portion of the road was closed to allow for runway expansion at Calgary International Airport.[7]
In northern Alberta, the segment near High Prairie was previously signed as part of Highway 2 and was renumbered as Highway 2A in 1990 at the same time that Highway 34 was renumbered to Highway 43 north of Valleyview.[8][9]
High River – Calgary
Highway 2A currently begins in the Town of High River and follows 12 Avenue SE and Centre Street before passing by Aldersyde and intersecting Highway 7. The highway then travels westward to the Town of Okotoks, where it branches north and follows Southridge Drive and Northridge Drive through Okotoks before rejoining Highway 2 near De Winton. In 2003, it was extended north by sharing a common alignment with Highway 2 for 3 km (2 mi) until it splits to Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2) and Macleod Trail (Highway 2A), ending in the City of Calgary at Stoney Trail (Highway 201). Macleod Trail continues north into downtown Calgary but does not carry a highway designation.[10]
Macleod Trail takes its name from its destination to the south, Fort Macleod, a town named for James Macleod of the North-West Mounted Police. The road's origins as a trail connecting Calgary to Fort Macleod long predate the highway designation. South of Calgary, Highway 2A follows what was the old two-lane Highway 2 alignment through the communities of the Foothills County before the divided expressway was constructed to the east. The portion between De Winton and Stoney Trail in Calgary follows Macleod Trail through suburban south Calgary and carries substantial local traffic.
Major intersections
| Rural/specialized municipality | Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M.D. of Willow Creek No. 26–Foothills County boundary | Connemara | −25.2 | −15.7 | Highway 2 – Calgary, Fort Macleod, Lethbridge | Former Highway 2A southern terminus |
| Foothills County | Cayley | −18.7 | −11.6 | ||
| | −14.9 | −9.3 |  Highway 540 | ||
| High River | −1.6 | −0.99 |  12 Avenue SE to Highway 23 east – Vulcan | Former Highway 2A follows 12 Avenue SE; to Highway 2 (exit 194) | |
| −3.6 | −2.2 | Centre Street / 12 Avenue SE | Former Highway 2A follows Centre Street | ||
| −2.3 | −1.4 | Crosses the Highwood River | |||
| Foothills County | | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 543 west / 498 Avenue E east – Longview | High River town limits; Highway 2A southern terminus; to Highway 2 (exit 197) |
| Aldersyde | 10.7 | 6.6 |  Highway 7 east to Highway 2 / Highway 547 – Mossleigh, Calgary, Fort Macleod | South end of Highway 7 concurrency; to Highway 2 (exit 209) | |
| Okotoks | 15.0 | 9.3 | 32 Street E | ||
| 16.7 | 10.4 | Highway 7 west – Black Diamond, Turner Valley Southridge Drive (Highway 783 south) | North end of Highway 7 concurrency; Highway 2A follows Southridge Drive | ||
| 19.0 | 11.8 | Crosses the Sheep River (North end of Southridge Drive • South end of Northridge Drive) | |||
| 19.5 | 12.1 |  Elizabeth Street (Highway 549 west) – Millarville | |||
| Foothills County | | 26.9 | 16.7 | 290 Avenue E – De Winton | |
| 27.9 | 17.3 |  Highway 552 east Highway 2 south – Fort Macleod, Lethbridge | Highway 2 exit 222; south end of Highway 2 concurrency | ||
| 30.5 | 19.0 | Highway 2 north (Deerfoot Trail) – Calgary | Highway 2 exit 225; northbound exit and southbound entrance; north end of Highway 2 concurrency | ||
| 33.3 | 20.7 | Dunbow Road – De Winton, Heritage Pointe | Proposed Interchange; Northbound access to Highway 552 | ||
| City of Calgary | 35.3 | 21.9 | Highway 552 south (226 Avenue S) – De Winton | Calgary city limits; proposed interchange; southbound right in/right out; becomes Macleod Trail | |
| 37.5 | 23.3 | 210 Avenue S | Proposed Diverging diamond interchange | ||
| 38.6 | 24.0 | 194 Avenue S | Proposed partial interchange; to be a southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 40.6 | 25.2 | Stoney Trail (Highway 201) Macleod Trail – City Centre | Highway 2A northern terminus; Highway 201 exit 5; formerly Highway 22X; Macleod Trail continues north | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
Central Alberta
In its central Alberta segment, Highway 2A runs adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth II Highway without entering Calgary or Edmonton. Highway 2A generally runs parallel to the Canadian Pacific Railway Calgary–Edmonton line, which runs to the west of Highway 2 between Crossfield and Red Deer, and to the east of Highway 2 between Red Deer and Leduc. Highway 2A is divided into two subsections with a 13 km (8 mi) gap between Bowden and Innisfail.[11]
The first subsection of Highway 2A starts at the Highway 2 / Highway 72 interchange (Exit 295) and passes through the town of Crossfield, town of Carstairs, and by the town of Didsbury before entering the town of Olds along 46 Avenue and intersecting Highway 27 (46 Street). The highway continues north to the town of Bowden before terminating at Highway 587, just west of Highway 2 (Exit 357).[1]
The second subsection begins in the town of Innisfail at Highway 590 (50 Street), just west of Highway 2 (Exit 368), along 42 Avenue. The highway continues north and passes through the town of Penhold before entering the city of Red Deer along Taylor Drive. The highway turns east along 19 Street and then north along Gaetz Avenue. Highway 2A splits into one-way couplets through downtown Red Deer, with northbound traffic following 49 Avenue and southbound traffic following portions of Gaetz Avenue and 51 Avenue. After crossing the Red Deer River, the one-way streets rejoin and intersect Highway 11 (67 Street) and Highway 11A, which forms Red Deer's northern city limit. The highway continues north through the town of Blackfalds and city of Lacombe. North of Lacombe, the highway rejoins Highway 2 and shares the same alignment for 5 km (3 mi) before the highway branches northeast and passes through hamlet of Morningside, town of Ponoka, and hamlet of Maskwacis. The highway enters the city of Wetaskiwin along 56 Street and continues north through the town of Millet, by the hamlet of Kavanagh, before it rejoins Highway 2 (Exit 516) in the city of Leduc.
Major intersections
| Rural/specialized municipality | Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky View County | | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 72 east – Beiseker, Drumheller Highway 2 – Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton | Interchange; Highway 2 exit 295; continues as Highway 72 | |||
| 2.1 | 1.3 | Dickson Stevenson Trail – Airdrie | ||||||
| Crossfield | 6.4 | 4.0 |  Highway 574 west – Madden | |||||
| | 11.3 | 7.0 | Acme Road (Township Road 292) to Highway 2 – Acme | Highway 2 exit 305 | ||||
| Mountain View County | | 18.9 | 11.7 |  Highway 580 west – Cremona | ||||
| Carstairs | 22.4 | 13.9 |  Highway 581 east (Gough Road) | |||||
| Didsbury | 33.8 | 21.0 |  Highway 582 – Linden | |||||
| Olds | 48.3 | 30.0 | Highway 27 (46 Street) – Sundre, Three Hills | |||||
| Red Deer County | | 62.2 | 38.6 | Highway 2 south | Access only from southbound Highway 2 (exit 353) | |||
| Bowden | 66.4 | 41.3 |  Highway 587 to Highway 2 | Adjacent to Highway 2 / Highway 587 interchange (exit 357) | ||||
| Gap in route | ||||||||
| Red Deer County | Innisfail | 79.0 | 49.1 |  50 Street (Highway 590 east) to Highway 2 – Big Valley | Formerly Highway 54; adjacent to Highway 2 / Highway 590 interchange (exit 368) | |||
| Penhold | 92.7 | 57.6 |  Highway 42 east / Highway 592 west – Pine Lake | |||||
| Springbrook | 96.0 | 59.7 |  Airport Drive (Township Road 372) – Airport | |||||
| | 99.5 | 61.8 | McKenzie Road (Township Road 374) | |||||
| City of Red Deer | 102.9– 103.6 | 63.9– 64.4 | Highway 2 – Calgary, Edmonton 19 Street / Taylor Drive | Highway 2 exit 395; Highway 2A follows 19 Street | ||||
| 104.1 | 64.7 |  19 Street (Highway 595 east) – Delburne Gaetz Avenue to Highway 2 south – Calgary | Highway 2A follows Gaetz Avenue; Highway 2 exit 394; northbound exit and southbound entrance to/from Highway 2 | |||||
| 106.1 | 65.9 | 32 Street | ||||||
| 109.1 | 67.8 | Crosses the Red Deer River | ||||||
| 110.4 | 68.6 | 67 Street (Highway 11) – Rocky Mountain House, Stettler | ||||||
| 113.6 | 70.6 | Highway 11A west – Sylvan Lake | ||||||
| Red Deer County |
No major junctions | |||||||
| Red Deer County–Lacombe County boundary | | 118.7 | 73.8 | Crosses the Blindman River | ||||
| Lacombe County | Blackfalds | 120.0 | 74.6 |  Highway 597 – Joffre | ||||
| City of Lacombe | 132.3 | 82.2 | 50 Avenue (Highway 12) – Bentley, Stettler | |||||
| Lacombe County | | 138.4 | 86.0 | Highway 2 south – Red Deer, Calgary | Highway 2 exit 431; south end of Highway 2 concurrency | |||
| 144.0 | 89.5 | Highway 2 north – Edmonton | Highway 2 exit 437; north end of Highway 2 concurrency | |||||
| Morningside | 146.9 | 91.3 | Highway 597 west | |||||
| Ponoka County | | 156.4 | 97.2 | Crosses the Battle River | ||||
| Ponoka | 158.2 | 98.3 | Highway 53 – Rimbey, Bashaw | |||||
| Samson I.R. No. 137 | Maskwacis | 177.3 | 110.2 |  Highway 611 east – Ferintosh, New Norway | South end of Highway 611 concurrency | |||
| Ermineskin I.R. No. 138 | 180.1 | 111.9 | Highway 611 west | North end of Highway 611 concurrency | ||||
| County of Wetaskiwin No. 10 |
No major junctions | |||||||
| City of Wetaskiwin | 193.5 | 120.2 |  Highway 13 west (40 Avenue) / Highway 613 east – Winfield | South end of Highway 13 concurrency | ||||
| 196.7 | 122.2 | Highway 13 east – Camrose | North end of Highway 13 concurrency | |||||
| County of Wetaskiwin No. 10 | Millet | 209.5 | 130.2 |  Highway 616 west (45 Avenue) / Township Road 475 – Mulhurst | South end of Highway 616 concurrency | |||
| Leduc County | | 214.5 | 133.3 | Highway 616 east – Armena | North end of Highway 616 concurrency | |||
| Kavanagh | 221.3 | 137.5 | Glen Park Road (Township Road 490) | |||||
| City of Leduc | 227.2 | 141.2 | Southfork Drive / 50 Street | Former alignment through Leduc | ||||
| 229.0 | 142.3 | Highway 2 – Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary | Interchange; Highway 2; exit 516 | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||||
Smith
| |
|---|---|
| Highway 2A | |
| Length: | 15 km (9 mi)[1] |
| South end: | Highway 2 near Hondo |
| North end: | Smith |
Highway 2A, known as Highway 2A:44 by Alberta Transportation, begins at Highway 2 near the hamlet of Hondo and connects with the hamlet of Smith.[10] The segment provides access to communities in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124 that are not directly served by Highway 2.
Major intersections
The entire route is in M.D. of Lesser Slave River No. 124.
| Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 2 – Slave Lake, Edmonton | Southern terminus | |
| Hondo | 2.9 | 1.8 | Range Road 11A / Township Road 703A | ||
| Smith | 14.7 | 9.1 | 1 Avenue S | ||
| Old Smith Highway | Continues west | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
High Prairie
| |
|---|---|
| Highway 2A | |
| Length: | 27 km (17 mi)[1] |
| East end: | Highway 2 near High Prairie |
| West end: |  Highway 49 near Guy |
Highway 2A, known as Highway 2A:54 by Alberta Transportation, begins at Highway 2 at the locality of Triangle, 15 km (9 mi) west of the Town of High Prairie, and connects with Highway 49 near the hamlet of Guy.[1] Prior to 1990, this section was signed as Highway 2 but was renumbered at the same time that Highway 34 was renumbered to Highway 43 (present day Highway 49) north of the Town of Valleyview.[8][9]
This segment of Highway 2A is considered an alternate route of the Northern Woods and Water Route.
Major intersections
| Rural/specialized municipality | Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lakes County | | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 2 – McLennan, High Prairie, Edmonton | |
| M.D. of Smoky River No. 130 | | 5.9 | 3.7 |  Highway 747 south – Sunset House | Formerly Highway 34 / Highway 34A |
| 27.4 | 17.0 | Highway 49 – Valleyview, Peace River | |||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
Grimshaw
| |
|---|---|
| Highway 2A | |
| Length: | 11 km (7 mi)[1] |
| East end: | Highway 2 at Roma Junction |
| West end: | Highway 2 in Grimshaw |
Highway 2A, known as Highway 2A:36 by Alberta Transportation, begins at Highway 2 at the locality of Roma Junction, 2 km (1 mi) west of the Peace River Airport and 13 km (8 mi) west of the town of Peace River, and terminates in the town of Grimshaw,[10] where it passes the Mile Zero monument of the Mackenzie Highway.
The segment of Highway 2A through Grimshaw passes the starting point of Highway 35, the Mackenzie Highway, which runs north through the Peace River Country to the Northwest Territories. The town is the site of the Historic Mile 0 Mackenzie Park, which marks the southern terminus of that route.
Major intersections
The entire route is in M.D. of Peace No. 135.
| Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roma Junction | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 2 – Grimshaw, Peace River | ||
| Grimshaw | 11.4 | 7.1 | Highway 2 to Highway 35 / Highway 685 – Fairview, Peace River | Mile Zero of Mackenzie Highway | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
Former alignments
Barlow Trail
.svg.png){kind=small} Highway 2A | |
|---|---|
| Barlow Trail | |
| Location | Calgary |
| Length | 11 km (6.8 mi) |
| Existed | 1971–1980s |
In the 1960s, Highway 2 entered north Calgary along Barlow Trail; however in 1971 Highway 2 was realigned to the newly constructed Blackfoot Trail freeway (later renamed Deerfoot Trail).[7] Highway 2A was established along most of the original alignment, starting at 16 Avenue NE (Trans-Canada Highway, Highway 1) in the south and continuing north along Barlow Trail for 10 km (6.2 mi), past the Calgary International Airport, to 112 Avenue NE (later renamed Country Hills Boulevard), where it travelled west for 1 km (0.62 mi) to its interchange with Deerfoot Trail.[12] Direct access from Barlow Trail to Blackfoot Trail was closed to make room for the 17 Avenue SE / Blackfoot Trail / Deerfoot Trail interchange.[13]
The Highway 2A designation was phased out in the mid-1980s[14] and the Barlow Trail between 48 Avenue NE (just north of McKnight Boulevard) and the main terminal access was closed to allow for additional runway construction.[15]
High River – Cayley
Highway 2A | |
|---|---|
| Location | Foothills County |
| Length | 20 km[1] (12 mi) |
| Existed | 1950s–1997 |
The existing section of Highway 2A used to extend from High River along 10 Street SE, through the hamlet of Cayley, and intersect Highway 2 at the locality of Connemara, located 8 km (5 mi) north of the town of Nanton along the Foothills County / Willow Creek M.D. boundary. The segment was located only 1.6 km (0.99 mi) west of Highway 2 and was dropped by the province in 1997.[16][17]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Highway 2A in Alberta" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ↑ Provincial Highways Designation Order, Alberta Transportation, p. 1
- ↑ Placenames of Alberta. "The naming along the Calgary – Edmonton Trail". Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ↑ "City Bypass Surprise: Road Going West". Red Deer Advocate. September 16, 1960. pp. 1, 11. Retrieved May 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Hwy 2A improvements target bridge, overpass". July 28, 1988. p. 1B. Retrieved May 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "$1 Million Contracts Awarded For Highway Work In District". November 22, 1962. p. 3. Retrieved May 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 Klaszus, Jeremy (June 7, 2012). "Deerfoot's Revenge". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on January 2, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
- 1 2 Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Travel Alberta. 1989. §§ F-3, G-3.
- 1 2 Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Travel Alberta. 1990. §§ F-3, G-3.
- 1 2 3 "2015 Provincial Highways 1 - 216 Series Progress Chart" (PDF). Alberta Transportation. March 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
- ↑ "Innisfail – Bowden gap on Highway 2A" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
- ↑ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Travel Alberta. 1983. Calgary inset.
- ↑ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Government of the Province of Alberta. 1962. Calgary inset.
- ↑ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Travel Alberta. 1988. Calgary inset.
- ↑ Markusoff, Jason (April 8, 2013). "Access road to Calgary's airport closing for four months". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- ↑ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Travel Alberta. 1996. § M-5.
- ↑ Alberta Official Road Map (Map). Travel Alberta. 1997. § M-5.
