Calgary’s new 9 Avenue SE bridge is open

Construction on the new bridge at 9 Avenue SE connecting Calgary’s East Village and Inglewood is officially complete.

The previous bridge built over the Elbow River was also the first non-railway bridge crossing in Calgary. It had been there for over a century, and was in dire need of replacement.

The City started to take the old bridge down and build a new one in 2019, taking design inspiration from the old bridge with modern engineering standards.

“Bridge projects of this type and scale have very unique challenges and opportunities, which makes achieving this milestone all the more rewarding for the entire team,” said Project Manager Evan Fer. “We are incredibly grateful and would not be here today without the continued support and patience of the community, citizens and area businesses throughout this project.”

Drivers were able to use the new bridge when it opened to vehicles in February of this year, and with all construction finished as of Tuesday, pedestrians and cyclists are able to use the bridge as well. The City adds two more lanes of traffic will open in July.

Calgary’s 9 Avenue SE Bridge. (Nick Blakeney, CityNews)

“The 9 Avenue bridge is significant in so many ways,” said Ward 9 Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra. “It is an important connection between communities, while serving as an unmistakable part of Calgary’s diverse urban landscape. This new landmark bridge will continue to serve Calgarians, no matter how they choose to travel, for the next 100 years.”

The City of Calgary says the new $25 million bridge — funded in partnership with the province and the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) — was made with accessibility and flood resilience in mind.

Minister of Infrastructure Prasad Panda says the new bridge is one of several Calgary flood resiliency projects, and he congratulated the City for having the foresight to move forward with those projects.

“We all watched with concern earlier this month when Calgary — once again — was faced with heavy rain and rising river levels,” Panda said. “Thankfully there was no repeat of the devastating floods of 2013, but that rain event a few weeks ago was a reminder of the importance of being prepared.”

CMLC says the new bridge will also give Calgarians on that side of the city easier access to Stampede grounds.

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“The new 9 Avenue SE bridge is a critical community connection,” said CMLC President and CEO Kate Thompson. “It will serve as an important link between Inglewood and Ramsay and the emerging Culture + Entertainment District, which is home to the expanding BMO Centre, the Saddledome and countless amenities and experiences on Stampede Park.”

The City adds the iconic Inglewood goose sign that was on the old 9 Avenue SE bridge will live on in the community’s Sculpture Park. It will be installed there later this summer.

“Parallel to the Canadian Pacific rail tracks, 9 Avenue reflects the history of confluence of community and culture – east to west – for people local and from afar,” says Ward 7 Councillor Terry Wong. “The new bridge will expand the opportunities for intersection and collaboration.”