Banff National Park of Canada

Park Management

Banff National Park Management Plan

6.0 Transportation

6.1 Ground Transportation

In a national park, transportation is more than just moving people between destinations. It is a key component of tourism, providing travellers with the opportunity to sightsee and explore the mountain environment. This is particularly true in Banff, where roads like the Icefields Parkway offer visitors unforgettable views of the park's mountain wilderness. Unfortunately these same roads and railways have a considerable impact on the park environment. In Banff National Park, the transportation question is particularly complex due to the existence of two major, national transportation corridors - the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway main line.

Given the economic and social significance of the CPR and the TCH, and the lack of viable alternatives, these routes will remain in the park. The park must, however, look at ways to reduce their environmental impact. Both the railway and the TCH cut through prime wildlife habitat in the montane and lower subalpine ecoregions, and affect wildlife movement through these areas. Every year millions of people travel along the TCH; some visit the park, some simply pass through en route to other destinations. An estimated 54% of all vehicles entering the park pass through without stopping. The number of vehicles on this road has been increasing at between five and eight per cent annually. This growth is expected to continue, thanks to the area's popularity as a tourism destination, the rapidly expanding population of Canmore, and the westward expansion of Calgary. By the winter of 1997, the TCH will be twinned from the Banff East Gate to Castle Junction. The highway has a more significant environmental impact than the railway. Collisions with vehicles on the unfenced section of the highway are a major cause of mortality for species such as elk, deer, moose, wolf and coyote. While fencing along the twinned section of the highway has reduced wildlife mortality, it has caused problems for wildlife movement. Large carnivores, particularly bears and wolves, have been hesitant to use the existing wildlife structures that pass under the highway. Researchers believe that wildlife will prefer the overpasses currently under construction as part of the Phase IIIA twinning project. The CPR main line passes through some of the park's most critical habitat, including the Vermilion Wetlands. Collisions with trains are an important cause of wildlife mortality; elk are especially vulnerable. Another issue associated with the railway is grain spills, particularly along the siding east of Lake Louise. Wildlife attracted by the grain come to depend on this food source and are no longer concerned about being close to people. The highways and the railway have affected natural water flows and the health of riparian areas. Causeways through wetlands, and culverts under roads and the railway have altered the natural evolution of the park's aquatic systems. The Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1A) is an east-west secondary road along the Bow Valley, north of the Bow River. This road runs parallel to the TCH and offers visitors a more leisurely and scenic drive, as well as access to facilities such as trails, viewpoints, and picnic areas. Traffic on the parkway and the number of people in the valley are the key factors associated with habitat impairment in this section of the important montane ecoregion, especially in late winter and early spring.

• to reduce the environmental impact of the road, rail and utility corridors;
   
• to provide a secondary road system that is consistent with ecological integrity goals and the quality of the visitor experience;
   
• to apply state-of-the-art mitigation measures that have been demonstrated to be effective;
   
• to minimize the risk to the environment of spills along the railway and roads; and
   
• to identify areas where roads and the railway have caused direct or indirect loss of riparian and aquatic habitat, and implement measures to restore these habitats.
  
  

• minimizing the impact of vehicles on the ecological integrity of the park, while providing adequate access to facilities;
   
• using transportation as a tool for managing human use by:
   
  • assessing the ecological carrying capacity of an area;
     
  • limiting the type and number of vehicles allowed in certain areas; and
     
  • limiting the infrastructure (e.g., parking spaces, road conditions, speed limits);

• minimizing the impact of private vehicles by promoting public transit where practical;
   
• introducing transit systems that help people enjoy their visit, providing benefits to visitors such as better access, more opportunities to learn about the park, and access for more people;
   
• addressing existing and anticipated problems with parking and access. Areas of particular concern include Lake Louise Lakeside, Moraine Lake, and Lake Minnewanka;
   
• ensuring transit systems are financially self-supporting;
   
• deferring or substantially reducing the capital cost associated with upgrading major transportation infrastructure; and
   
• studying regional transportation needs and issues.

• maintain access for emergency vehicles if required.

• promote this closure using signs and public education programs;
   
• close the two picnic sites along the Parkway until June 25th; and
   
• increase our knowledge and improve our science understanding of the area.

• initially, close the western section of the Minnewanka Loop Road in the winter, from the intersection to the road to Johnson Lake to the Lake Minnewanka concession; and
   
• promote the closed section of road as a cross-country ski trail and monitor the effects on wildlife.

• as a first priority, complete a study of wildlife movement in the highway corridor. This study will:
   
• provide more information on the effectiveness of underpasses in Phases I and II;
   
• monitor the effectiveness of the new overpasses in Phase IIIA; and
   
• identify major crossing points for Phase IIIB;
   
• look at opportunities to improve the existing wildlife underpasses in Phases I and II. Parks Canada will not build any new wildlife overpasses in Phases I and II until an assessment of the overpasses along Phase IIIA is complete;
   
• reroute trails near the wildlife overpasses and prohibit use of overpasses by visitors; and
   
• monitor wildlife movement east of the Town of Banff to determine what actions are necessary.

6.2 Air Transportation

Transport Canada is the federal agency responsible for regulating aviation in Canada. There is currently no regulation of flights below 10,000 feet other than the requirement to remain more than 500 feet above ground level, and 1,000 feet away from structures and built-up areas. Parks Canada controls where aircraft can land in the park and generally restricts landings to the Banff airstrip and the helicopter pad in the industrial compound. The scientists who advised the Banff-Bow Valley Study clearly demonstrated that there is a significant wildlife corridor at the base of Cascade Mountain, and that the airstrip, along with adjacent facilities, interferes with wildlife movement through the area. While there are no detailed records of overflights by fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters, evidence suggests that the number of flights over the park and adjacent areas is increasing. This has an impact on wildlife and on the experience of visitors, especially in backcountry areas.