Delays and increased congestion expected on Lake Louise Drive throughout the summer

CBC
·2 min read
Black bears walk across the road near Lake Louise, Alta., in June 2020. Parks Canada said construction work on Lake Louise Drive will have long-term benefits for visitors, residents and wildlife. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press - image credit)
Black bears walk across the road near Lake Louise, Alta., in June 2020. Parks Canada said construction work on Lake Louise Drive will have long-term benefits for visitors, residents and wildlife. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press - image credit)

Those heading to Lake Louise this summer will be faced with delays and an increase in traffic with ongoing construction on that community's main road.

Work on Lake Louise Drive, the road that connects that community to Moraine Lake Road and the Lake Louise lakeshore, began this week and is expected to last throughout the summer — typically the busiest season for mountain towns.

Parks Canada said improvements are needed because traffic increased significantly on the road over the past decade and it now has more than one million visitors annually.

"The work is critical, any visitors who have been on Lake Louise Drive recently, including residents and local commercial providers, know the road needs these repairs," said David Allen, project manager with Parks Canada.

"Putting these off further is not viewed as an option for Parks Canada."

Improvements to the road will include resurfacing, roundabout construction, updated signage and changes to traffic flow routes that connect surrounding areas and parking lots.
Improvements to the road will include resurfacing, roundabout construction, updated signage and changes to traffic flow routes that connect surrounding areas and parking lots.

Improvements to the road will include resurfacing, roundabout construction, updated signage and changes to traffic flow routes that connect surrounding areas and parking lots. (Parks Canada)

While the summer is the busiest season for the area, this work can only be done during that time because of weather conditions. To lessen the impact on traffic, construction won't happen on long weekends.

Single-lane, alternating traffic as well as delays lasting up to a half hour should be expected, according to the agency. However, longer delays are possible during peak hours that are often seen during the summer months and on days when the weather is better.

Despite the construction and delays, both lakes remain open. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and take public transport around the area.

"Visitors wanting to see Lake Louise and Moraine Lake should plan ahead and secure reservations on Parks Canada shuttles, Roam Public Transit, or with a private commercial transportation provider," Parks Canada said.

Road work will happen from Monday to Saturday during daylight hours, from 7:30 a.m. until 8 or 9 p.m., depending on the month, with night work occasionally occurring.

Construction is anticipated to be complete by September.