Major construction eyed for a very busy Banff street in 2028
A bustling street in the heart of Banff is set to get a major makeover, with the Town hoping work can begin in 2028 on the project.
Wolf Street is planned to be reconstructed in 2028 between Bear Street and Banff Avenue to replace the water main and storm drainage system under the road, which are almost 100 years old and at the end of their life expectancy. Replacing them reduces the risk of breaks and unscheduled repairs. There are no sanitary sewer pipes on this part of the street.
The intersection at Bear Street is not part of this project because the underground utilities and surface infrastructure were replaced in 2021.
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In a doubling up, when roads are excavated to replace utilities like water and drainage pipes, and move power, gas and telecommunications lines, the Town schedules renewal of the surface features at the same time.
In a nice two-in-one, the project will upgrade surface infrastructure to prioritize vehicle movement and alley access, while enhancing pedestrian comfort and overall quality of the public space.
The construction will span from the building face on the north side of the street to the building face on the south side of the street, including sidewalks.
The Town stressed that the project will have a “major” impact on all businesses and residents located on Wolf Street, with construction requiring doors to be closed for periods of time.
The construction will also have an impact on businesses on Banff Avenue serviced by the alley at Wolf Street and businesses on Bear Street. The closure also affects through traffic.
There are no water/sewer connections from the mains to buildings on this part of Wolf Street, and there will not be an intersection realignment.
What’s the next move in the project?
The Town of Banff is aiming to complete the design phase of the project in Spring 2027, where concepts are turned into detailed plans, in preparation for tendering the project in Fall 2027. Detailed designs determine the cost of all elements both under and above ground, and the overall cost estimate for the project.
Some of the principles of the initial design concept include prioritizing vehicle traffic for east-west connections between Lynx Street and Banff Avenue, extending the Banff Refreshing design style used to rebuild Banff Avenue in 2007-08, accommodating the growth in pedestrian traffic with wider sidewalks, and providing space for more bike parking, planters for shade and public seating, and enhanced lighting.
Are you excited about the Wolf Street reconstruction project being eyed in Banff? Let us know in the comments.