Banff National Park of Canada

Park Management

Trans-Canada Highway Twinning Project

Update: August 2009

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Upgrading the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park from two to four lanes has occurred in stages since 1981. To date, over half of the 83 km highway section in the park has been upgraded. These improvements will maximize motorist safety, reduce highway wildlife mortality and habitat fragmentation, and improve the flow of goods and services.

 Map of Phases IIIB-1, IIIB-2 and IIIB-3
© Parks Canada

 Wildlife overpass under construction west of Moraine Creek
© Parks Canada / W. Karhoffer

What's Happening:

1. The 9 km stretch of highway immediately east of Lake Louise (IIIB-1) has been twinned and is now open for traffic. Landscaping and clean-up of this section will be finished this fall. The final top lift of pavement should be completed by 2011.
2. Construction is underway along the 14 km section west of Castle Junction (IIIB-2), with the majority of work expected to be completed by 2010. By 2011, the entire highway between Banff and Lake Louise will be four lanes.
3. The final phase of the project from Lake Louise west to the Alberta/British Columbia border (IIIB-3) will be tendered this summer. Construction will begin this fall, with completion slated for 2012. This section will include reconstruction of the Icefields Parkway interchange, 6 new highway bridges, a pedestrian crossing and 3 wildlife underpasses. The Icefields Parkway Interchange is currently out to tender. Construction could start this fall and is anticipated to be fully operational by summer 2011.