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

Previous updates and other project information is available at banff.ca/stjulienroad

Asphalt paving underway at Grizzly Street.

St. Julien Road Reconstruction - September 30 Update

Asphalt paving work starts today. Unfortunately, the paving that was scheduled to start earlier this week was delayed by shortages in trucking availability for the transport of the asphalt to Banff and then rain yesterday prevented work. The prime coat/bonding agent is being applied starting today, with asphalt paving already underway.

The paving of the road and trail are scheduled to be completed this week if weather cooperates, and the road line markings are scheduled to be added late this coming week.

Weekend Construction
The Town has approved extended work hours for the construction crews to start work at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, in an attempt to regain lost construction days. Crews will not work on the Thanksgiving long weekend.

Paving work this week will involve materials that could damage any private vehicles driving on the surface and can be hazardous to people and pets. The work creates dangerous conditions due to the extreme heat of material and the frequent truck movements delivering asphalt, laying the pavement and rollers packing the asphalt. The road closure is necessary for this phase.

The road will be completely closed and no private vehicles will be allowed in the construction zone from today until Wednesday, October 5, for most of the street, and until Friday for some homes - please see schedule matrix below.

A schedule update will be provided early next week based on work accomplished this weekend and any changes to the re-opening of access to residents.

Parking for St. Julien Residents
The temporary locals-only parking areas are specifically for residents of the roadway who cannot access their private driveways to park on their own properties. If you do not live on the street, please respect your fellow Banffites and don’t park there!

The Town’s municipal enforcement team will increase patrols to monitor the four parking zones dedicated to St. Julien Residents. The no parking zones on Wolverine Street will be enforced.

Forits Alberta is scheduled to complete installation of new streetlights October 11-12.

Avoid Dangerous Paving Zone

Bonding Agent: Also known as prime or tack coat, the bonding agent is very hot when wet. It will permanently stick and stain anything including driveways, clothing and vehicles. DO NOT DRIVE OR WALK ON BONDING AGENTS.

Asphalt can be 150 C when it arrives on site to build a road. That is hotter than boiling water! It is very dangerous to pets and people. Do not attempt to drive or walk on freshly placed asphalt or bonding agents (oils), it can damage your vehicle or your shoes, and it can burn you or your dog.

Asphalt remains malleable until it has a chance to cool. Walking on it before it is cool damages the paving, which delays the project schedule and will extend road closures.

Click on schedule below to download easy-to-read PDF:

Crews have completed some rock walls and improved grading for driveways along private properties, and the retaining wall was completed on the downhill side of the road. The gravel structures of the roadway and trail were also completed, ready for paving, along with connections to private driveways.

Notice from the Construction Contractor:

Bremner Engineering and Construction apologizes for the delay in starting the paving work due to shortages of equipment in the construction industry right now. Bremner asks residents to adhere to the road closure this week to avoid the hazard and to ensure the work is not disrupted:

Please have patience with this process as the complete road closures is imperative. Residents of St. Julien must park offsite during these times, if they anticipate needing a vehicle Sept. 30 – Oct. 7. Please note these dates are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, such as:

Weather
People/vehicles disregarding the road closure and signage
Material supply disruption

How can residents help?

Do not drive or walk on fresh bonding agent or new asphalt.
Avoid the area of construction as much as possible.
Remove your property from near the road.
Please keep children and animals away from the road.

Work Completed Last Week:

Poured concrete for curbs and gutters, the pads for the garbage/recycling enclosures, the cross-walk median at the trailhead, and the section of concrete sidewalk on Wolf Street
Built and backfilled rock retaining walls
Finalized roadway gravel structure ready for asphalt

If you have questions, please contact us:

email stjulienroad@banff.ca
phone 403.762.1296

Click to download an easy-to-read PDF map of the parking zones dedicated to St. Julien property owners:

Dangerous construction site

St. Julien Road is closed to public access by vehicle, bicycle or by foot. St. Julien Road will be closed until October. Only residents who live on St. Julien are permitted to enter the street, and only when safe to do so, in coordination with work crews.

Many residents and visitor continue to ignore the signage and have proceeded into the active construction site. This puts them in danger of serious injury or death.

This week with the hot mix asphalt work, its essential that people stay away from the construction site, for their safety and to avoid disrupting the construction schedule. Please help visitors follow the signed detours.

The lower trailhead remains inaccessible during preparation and paving this week.

Follow detours to Tunnel Mountain Trail

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

Tourism operators and visitor service agents should remind visitors to ignore Google Maps and follow the detours and use the detour maps (below).

Hikers must not attempt to access the lower trailhead through St. Julien Road. This is a dangerous and often impassable construction site. Use maps to detour safely.

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)

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 (see map 1 below).

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.

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

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

Contractor: Bremner Engineering and Construction Ltd (BECL), based in the Bow Valley, was selected as prime construction contractor in a national open tender.

Project Manager: Stephen Allan, PMP, Engineering Coordinator, Town of Banff

For more information:

email stjulienroad@banff.ca
phone 403.762.1296
web banff.ca/stjulienroad