Brace yourself for traffic jams around Glenmore Trail in the southwest

Construction has begun on Glenmore Trail related to a new overpass, so expect nightly delays in the southwest for a few weeks.

KGL Construction, the contractor, began a two-week stretch of work Sunday related to the new 37th Street overpass. The work is to remove the old bridge. While that is underway, part of Glenmore Trail, from Richard Road to 37th Street, will be closed most nights.

The exact times of the closures, and associated detours, vary night to night but expect them from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. KGL estimates the detours should add only three minutes to nightly commutes when traffic is light.

On the weekends, work will begin a little later at night and run until 8 or 9 a.m.:

• Feb. 3 & 4: Lane closures between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Feb. 5 & 6: Full closure of Glenmore Trail at 37th Street between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Feb. 7: Full closure of Glenmore Trail at 37th Street between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m.
• Feb. 8: Full closure of Glenmore Trail at 37th Street between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Feb. 14: Full closure of Glenmore Trail at 37th Street between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m.
• Feb. 15: Full closure of Glenmore Trail at 37th Street between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Feb 17, 18 & 19: Lane closures between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

No construction or closures are scheduled for Feb. 9-13 or Feb. 16.

Crews have set up detour signs and enlisted the help of Calgary police at critical intersections to help drivers. There are more details about closures and detours on the contractor's website. During construction, speed limits will range from 50-60 km/h.

If you're planning on attending one of the major events scheduled for the Grey Eagle Casino, however, expect to add 15-20 minutes to your drive, due to heavier traffic. The casino will be accessible during construction.

The overpass work will allow for further ring road construction.

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener.