Shaganappi Trail


Neighborhoods

  • Parkdale
  • Montgomery
  • University Heights
  • Varsity
  • Dalhousie
  • Brentwood
  • Dalhousie
  • Edgemont
  • MacEwan Glen
  • Hamptons
  • Hidden Valley
  • Sherwood
  • Kincora
  • Nolan Hill
  • Sage Hill
Shaganappi Trail is a major super-4 expressway in the northwest quadrant of Calgary, Alberta. It extends to the south as Montgomery View, a small service road in the neighborhood of Montgomery and that provides access to Edworthy Park, passes north past Market Mall and the western boundary of Nose Hill Park, and terminates in the neighborhood of Nolan Hill in the north, with city planning maps indicating future northern extension beyond 144 Avenue NW. The name "Shaganappi" is of Cree origin, referring to the bison hide lacings that held Red River ox carts together. Despite the name, it is not located near the Shaganappi neighborhood, which is located south of the Bow River.

History

Shaganappi Trail was originally planned in 1970 to cross the Bow River and connect with Bow Trail and Sarcee Trail at a major interchange, with Edworthy Park acting as a temporary park to protect the right-of-way, since there are no Bow River crossings between 16 Avenue NW to the west and Crowchild Trail to the east. The plan was again proposed in the 1995 Calgary Transportation Plan, also known as the "Go Plan"; however public opposition to both it and a similar plan to extend Sarcee Trail through a natural area, led to it officially being eliminated from the plans in 2009.

Future

Long term improvements to Shaganappi Trail south of Crowchild Trail have moved away from freeway conversion to being an arterial street and adding HOV lanes. Shaganappi Trail was originally constructed as limited-access road to allow for upgrades to freeway up to Stoney Trail with grading in place to allow for it to be upgraded to a cloverstack interchange; is still classified as a skeletal road by the City of Calgary, but a freeway upgrade is no longer being considered.

Major intersections

From south to north.

Pedestrian crossings

Because of the roadway's width, high traffic volume, and the need for pedestrians to cross it, three dedicated crossings have been built, one at Market Mall, one near Valiant Drive, and one at Northland Village Mall called the Shaganappi Trail Pedestrian Overpass.