QEII & 40th Ave Interchange

New interchange and arterial connection improving highway access and mobility in South Airdrie.

Client: City of Airdrie

Location: Airdrie, AB

Project Type: Transportation

About This Project

The QEII & 40 Avenue Interchange was a major transportation infrastructure project that completed a continuous east-west arterial corridor through south Airdrie while providing a third connection to the QEII Highway for the city’s growing southern communities.

The City of Airdrie engaged Associated Engineering as Prime Consultant, with ISL as a key project partner, to deliver functional planning, roadworks, traffic signal design, and civil design for the Nose Creek diversion. The core interchange was designed and constructed to Alberta Transportation standards for ultimate transfer to the province.

The project extended beyond the interchange itself, incorporating two major bridges carrying 40 Avenue over Main Street and the CPKC mainline, a major diversion and culvert crossing of Nose Creek, retaining walls, streetlighting, traffic signals, stormwater management, and significant utility relocations and protection. The design also introduced innovative traffic solutions, including the first dual signalized right-turning ramps permitted on a provincial interchange.

Complex construction sequencing was required to accommodate active roadways, adjacent commercial properties, railway infrastructure, and the Nose Creek diversion. ISL and AE developed an early staging plan to identify critical sequencing requirements and improve constructability. Strategic planning for earthworks also supported the sustainable reuse of topsoil, bedrock, and borrow materials while helping manage construction costs.

Close coordination with Alberta Transportation and CPKC was critical throughout design and construction. The CPKC bridge was designed to clear-span the railway right-of-way, minimizing infrastructure near the tracks and supporting the approvals process. Environmental approvals and construction planning for the Nose Creek diversion were also prioritized to enable subsequent bridge construction.

The interchange opened in October 2023, completing an important transportation connection and providing additional highway access for Airdrie’s growing southern communities.

Key Features:

  • New QEII Highway interchange and arterial connection
  • Two major bride crossings
  • Major Nose Creek diversion and culvert crossing
  • First dual signalized right-turning ramps on a provincial interchange
  • Complex highway, railway, and utility coordination
  • $65M construction value