Macleod Trail (Calgary)
Encyclopedia
Macleod Trail is a major road in Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
. It is a six to eight lane principal arterial road
extending from downtown Calgary
to the south of the city, where it merges into Highway 2. South of Anderson Road, Macleod Trail is an expressway
and is slated to be upgraded to a freeway in the near future. It is named for its destination to the south, Fort Macleod.
The road effectively divides the south-west and the south-east quadrants of the city, and many communities (inner city
as well as suburb
an) were developed along its course. Macleod Trail (along with Crowchild Trail
-Glenmore Trail-14 Street S and Anderson Road) constitutes one of the four major north-south corridors of the city.
In the downtown section, the road passes by the Calgary City Hall, Olympic Plaza, the Calgary Public Library
, the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
. South of downtown it defines the western edge of the Calgary Stampede
grounds, as it passes through the Beltline district, then provides access to Talisman Centre
as it runs between the historic inner city
communities of Mission
and Ramsay. South of Elbow River
, Macleod Trail becomes a two-way road and has various motels eslablished on its sides, and Chinook Centre
faces the road as it passes between the communities of Meadowlark Park
, Kingsland and Fairview. Macleod Trail is lined with commercial developments on both sides for its entire length between Erlton and Lake Bonavista, including strip malls, auto malls, big-box store
s and shopping centres such as Southcentre Mall
, and Calgary's largest suburban office complex at Southland Park
. The southern leg of the C-Train
LRT
system (Route 201) is also developed along Macleod Trail.
In November 2007, Calgary City Council approved a functional planning study for the portion of Macleod Trail that extends from Anderson Road north to Downtown. Expected recommendations include interchanges at Heritage Drive and Southland Drive, as well as possible traffic signal refinements. In addition, three other interchange locations are planned to be constructed within ten years. They are at the intersection with Lake Fraser Gate, at the intersection with 162 Avenue, and at the intersection with 194 Avenue. This would make Macleod Trail a freeway from Anderson Road to the city limits.
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Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is a six to eight lane principal arterial road
Arterial road
An arterial road, or arterial thoroughfare, is a high-capacity urban road. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector roads to freeways, and between urban centres at the highest level of service possible. As such, many arteries are limited-access roads, or feature...
extending from downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary is a region of central Calgary, Alberta. It is not a single neighbourhood per se, but is actually a larger community containing three neighbourhoods and a number of districts....
to the south of the city, where it merges into Highway 2. South of Anderson Road, Macleod Trail is an expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
and is slated to be upgraded to a freeway in the near future. It is named for its destination to the south, Fort Macleod.
The road effectively divides the south-west and the south-east quadrants of the city, and many communities (inner city
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
as well as suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an) were developed along its course. Macleod Trail (along with Crowchild Trail
Crowchild Trail
Crowchild Trail is an expressway located on the west side of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.The road was originally signed as 24th Street SW from North Glenmore Park to the Bow River, 24th Street NW from the Bow to the intersection with 16th Avenue NW , and Highway 1A from 16th Ave NW to the city limits...
-Glenmore Trail-14 Street S and Anderson Road) constitutes one of the four major north-south corridors of the city.
In the downtown section, the road passes by the Calgary City Hall, Olympic Plaza, the Calgary Public Library
Calgary Public Library
The Calgary Public Library is a distributed library system featuring 17 branch locations including the Central Library. It is the second most used system in Canada...
, the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
The EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts is a multi-venue arts centre in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada, located in the Olympic Plaza Cultural District.-History:...
. South of downtown it defines the western edge of the Calgary Stampede
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway,...
grounds, as it passes through the Beltline district, then provides access to Talisman Centre
Talisman Centre
The Talisman Centre, formerly known as the Lindsay Park Sports Centre, is a multi-sports complex in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The name of the facility was changed in March 2002, after the City of Calgary sold the naming rights for 10 million dollars to Talisman Energy for 30 years.The complex...
as it runs between the historic inner city
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
communities of Mission
Mission, Calgary
The Mission district is an inner city neighbourhood of Calgary, Alberta, Canada that originated as Notre Dame de la Paix, a Catholic mission, and was for a time the incorporated Village of Rouleauville...
and Ramsay. South of Elbow River
Elbow River
The Elbow River is a river located in southern Alberta, Canada. It flows from the Canadian Rockies to the city of Calgary, where it merges into the Bow River....
, Macleod Trail becomes a two-way road and has various motels eslablished on its sides, and Chinook Centre
Chinook Centre
Chinook Centre is the largest enclosed shopping centre in Calgary, Alberta containing over 250 stores, a professional building, and a major theatre complex...
faces the road as it passes between the communities of Meadowlark Park
Meadowlark Park, Calgary
Meadowlark Park is a residential neighbourhood in the south-west quadrant of Calgary, Alberta. It is located immediately west from the Chinook Centre, east of Elbow Drive and north of the Glenmore Trail. It is named for the Meadowlark bird....
, Kingsland and Fairview. Macleod Trail is lined with commercial developments on both sides for its entire length between Erlton and Lake Bonavista, including strip malls, auto malls, big-box store
Big-box store
A big-box store is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store...
s and shopping centres such as Southcentre Mall
Southcentre Mall
Southcentre Mall is one of the largest shopping malls in Calgary, Alberta, , and contains approximately 190 stores and services over two floors. It is located in the City's southeast quadrant at the intersection of Macleod Trail and Anderson Road, and across the street from the Anderson C-Train...
, and Calgary's largest suburban office complex at Southland Park
Southland Park
Southland Park is the name of a commercial office complex in Calgary, Alberta comprising over of office space and consisting of four separate office buildings. The complex is Calgary's largest suburban office park...
. The southern leg of the C-Train
C-Train
C-Train is the light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has been in operation since May 25, 1981. The system is operated by Calgary Transit, a department of the Calgary municipal government.-Operations:...
LRT
Light Rail Transit
The name Light Rail Transit is used to refer to several light rail systems, as an official name or otherwise:* Please see List of tram and light-rail transit systems.-See also:* Light Rapid Transit * Light railway* Light rail...
system (Route 201) is also developed along Macleod Trail.
In November 2007, Calgary City Council approved a functional planning study for the portion of Macleod Trail that extends from Anderson Road north to Downtown. Expected recommendations include interchanges at Heritage Drive and Southland Drive, as well as possible traffic signal refinements. In addition, three other interchange locations are planned to be constructed within ten years. They are at the intersection with Lake Fraser Gate, at the intersection with 162 Avenue, and at the intersection with 194 Avenue. This would make Macleod Trail a freeway from Anderson Road to the city limits.
Exits and major intersections
From north to south, the following intersections are observed along Macleod Trail:|}