$37M Airport Trail-Stoney Trail interchange nears completion

A $37-million interchange at Airport Trail and Stoney Trail N.E. in Calgary has partially opened to traffic, completing a key connection between Calgary International Airport and the CN Calgary Logistics Park.

Genesis Land Development Corp. marked the opening of the Stage 2 interchange Oct. 16. The project is expected to be fully open in early November.

The Alberta government contributed $23.8 million to the project, with Genesis providing the remaining funding. Rocky View County administered the provincial funding.

The interchange provides full directional access between Airport Trail and Stoney Trail and is expected to provide a safer route for oversize and overweight loads travelling through the trade corridor. It will also shorten trips for residents and businesses in northeast Calgary and east Rocky View County.

“This $23.8 million provincial investment for a new interchange along Stoney Trail will improve Calgarians’ commute and Alberta’s transportation network,” said Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors. “This joint project will improve safety by completing access to Stoney Trail from Airport Trail and strengthen a key trade corridor connecting Calgary International Airport with the CN Calgary Logistics Park. By partnering with industry to deliver critical infrastructure, we’re improving commutes for Calgarians and supporting growth and opportunities for decades to come.”

The interchange also provides access to 612 acres owned by Genesis east of Stoney Trail along Airport Trail. The developer has an approved conceptual scheme covering 185 acres and, with other landowners, has proposed an amendment to the OMNI Area Structure Plan to create a mixed-use Growth Hamlet.

“Infrastructure has to come before rooftops,” said Brendan McCashin, senior vice-president, land development with Genesis. “With this interchange in place, the land east of Stoney Trail has the access it needs for the next phase of growth, and Genesis is ready to build the homes and jobs that come with it.”