This newsletter is for people who live in the St. Julien Road construction zone and anyone who has registered to learn about the project and its impact on drivers, hikers, commuters and visitors. If you know someone who may be interested in this project, please encourage them to sign up at banff.ca/stjulienroad

St. Julien Road Reconstruction - July 23 Update

Last week, the construction crews started connecting private properties to the water and sewer mains. A few homes are now tied-in to the new system and were disconnected from the temporary overland lines.

In the week ahead, residents will experience the most disruptions in front of homes so far.

Excavations will be required as properties are connected to the new water and sewer mains progress up the hill, at the same time as continuing trench work to complete main lines on upper St. Julien Road.

The water team will conduct a complete disinfection of the upper water main from Wolverine Street to St. Julien Way and any required additional hydrotesting.

The installation of the stormwater drainage system will also start this week.

In addition, the crews will start development of the road structure, which involves excavating and removing the lowest level of road base to install the subgrade gravel to establish the correct grade and elevation. After establishing the planned elevation and grades, crews will start importing new gravel and road base, and then start compacting.

The next few weeks will have significant noise and vibration during compaction throughout the area. The vibration is required to ensure gravel creates a solid foundation under the asphalt.

For your own safety, please do not enter the construction site, unless you are resident of the street accessing your home, and only when safe to do so.

Photo: crews dig to make sewer and water connections

Crews start connecting each property to the new water and sewer mains.

Scheduled impact on residents for July 23-31

Most homes on St. Julien Road will full closures of driveway access for periods of the week ahead. The red phases in the matrix schedule below indicate full-day closures and the yellow phases indicate intermittent closures that involve movement of heavy vehicles and machinery. A new red/yellow blended phase designation means homes will have full closures for most of the day.

Residents are asked to be extremely cautious when exiting their properties or entering the site, and to make sure to communicate with workers and flaggers on the site.

This week ahead, the status of resident-only access points to St. Julien Road:

Wolverine St. back alley: intermittently open all week
Wolf Street and Grizzly entrance to St. Julien: mostly closed Monday-Friday
St. Julien Way (top of road) access to St. Julien Rd: closed Wednesday-Friday
Wolverine Street entrance to St. Julien: closed Tuesday-Thursday

Please take note of the access point closures this week!

These homes' driveways on St. Julien Road are scheduled for full closures for most of each designated day (schedules can change depending on weather and the complexity of connections with private properties):

100 and 136 St. Julien (closed July 27-29)
132 St. Julien (closed July 28-29)
135 Wolverine (closed July 26-28)
200 St. Julien (closed July 25-27)
208, 210, 220 St. Julien (closed most of the day July 26-29)
206 and 341 Grizzly Street and 609 Wolf Street (mostly closed July 26-29)
216, 218, 222, 226 St. Julien (mostly closed July 25-29)

St. Julien Road is closed to public access by vehicle, bicycle or by foot. St. Julien Road will be closed until October.

View and download the UPDATED schedule matrix for impact on individual homes.

Schedule of Impact on Homes and Access - July 23-31

Click on schedule above to download PDF that is easier to read

If you live on St. Julien and have questions, please contact us:

email stjulienroad@banff.ca
phone 403.762.1296

Click on map to download a PDF that is easier to read

Detour required for access to Tunnel Mountain Trail

The lower trailhead to the Tunnel Mountain Trail will remain closed until August.

Access to the trail is now only possible via the upper trailhead on Tunnel Mountain Drive.

Hikers must not attempt to access the lower trailhead, for their own safety. St. Julien Road is an active construction site.

Signage is in place to direct hikers to detour to Wolverine Street and up the Ken Madsen Path, through the Banff Centre, and up St Julien Way to Tunnel Mountain Drive and the upper trailhead. Large signs are placed at intersections, and "bread-crumb" lawn signs help hikers navigate the full route to Tunnel Mountain Drive. (See map below)

Hikers must not enter the construction site in an attempt to access the lower trailhead of the Tunnel Mountain Trail. The excavations and heavy equipment make it unsafe.

Banff Centre access

Pedestrian access to Banff Centre will be maintained on the Ken Madsen Path behind the cemetery, accessed from Wolverine Street or Buffalo Street. Vehicle access is limited to Buffalo Street and Tunnel Mountain Drive.

Two detour options to Tunnel Mountain Trail

Hikers heading to the Tunnel Mountain Trail are now detoured away from St. Julien Road. The lower trailhead on St. Julien is completely inaccessible until at least July 27.

Hikers are required to detour to the Ken Madsen Path and around the Banff Centre campus as the only route to the upper trailhead on Tunnel Mountain Drive. The parking lot on St. Julien is closed and there is limited parking at the Upper Trailhead. The best way to access the Tunnel Mountain Trail is by walking from downtown Banff.

Hiking to Tunnel Mountain Summit
- Faster Route via Banff Centre

Click to download PDF

Hiking to Tunnel Mountain Summit
- Scenic Route via Bow River & Surprise Corner

Map - route to summit via Buffalo Street