118-595: Grande Cache is a hamlet in West-Central Alberta , Canada within and administered by the Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 . It is located on Highway 40 approximately 145 kilometres (90 mi) northwest of Hinton and 435 kilometres (270 mi) west of Edmonton . Grande Cache overlooks the Smoky River , is at the northern edge of Alberta's Rockies , and serves as a gateway to
236-528: A Hudson's Bay Company outpost called La Grande Prairie was established by George Kennedy. The post was established South of Dunvegan and 21 km (13 mi) north west of the present day city of Grande Prairie, south east of La Glace Lake, and west of what is now the Town of Sexsmith (the 1896 version of this building was moved and restored and now stands near the Grande Prairie Museum). In
354-435: A bypass is proposed that would carry Highway 2 to the east of town on a new free-flowing alignment. A similar bypass to the east of Nanton is also proposed. A bypass of Fort Macleod has also been planned, tentatively designated as Highway 2X. It would be constructed in conjunction with a Highway 3 bypass of the town, making both routes free-flowing through the area. Plans have also been drafted for significant reconstruction of
472-549: A bypass. Deerfoot Trail then merges with the major routes of Anderson Road and Bow Bottom Trail. Crossing Glenmore Trail ( Highway 8 ), Memorial Drive (access to downtown Calgary) and 16 Avenue NE ( Highway 1 ), Deerfoot Trail continues into north Calgary past the Calgary International Airport en route to a second interchange with Stoney Trail at the Calgary city limit. The Deerfoot Trail designation
590-518: A city in 1958. At that time, its population was approximately 7,600. The opening of the Procter & Gamble kraft pulp mill in 1972 and the discovery of the Elmworth deep basin gas field spurred an economic boom. Grande Prairie's population went from just over 12,000 in the early 1970s to over 24,000 by the time the oil boom went bust in 1981. In the five years from 2001 to 2006, Grande Prairie
708-716: A hamlet in the Municipal District of Greenview No. 16. The hamlet is built on a plateau that is just below the subalpine level of the Rocky Mountains . The town site is surrounded by three valleys: to the north is the Smoky River; to the west is the Sulphur River; to the south is Victor Lake and Grande Cache Lake. To the east of town is Grande Mountain. Grande Cache experiences a subarctic climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfc ). Summertime
826-423: A land area of 35.21 km (13.59 sq mi), it had a population density of 93.0/km (241.0/sq mi) in 2021. As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Grande Cache had a population of 3,571 living in 1,296 of its 1,759 total private dwellings, a -17.3% change from its 2011 population of 4,319. With a land area of 34.97 km (13.50 sq mi), it had
944-461: A long journey north to Fort Vermilion . In Slave Lake, Highway 2 bisects the town at a limit of 60 km/h, before returning to 100 km/h west of Caribou Trail, following the scenic southern shore of Lesser Slave Lake to Highway 33 near Kinuso , which leads south to Swan Hills . At Driftpile the highway crosses a river of the same name en route to High Prairie at the west end of Lesser Slave Lake. 14 km (8.7 mi) west of High Prairie,
1062-562: A more conventional configuration. The existing bridges on this section of the highway had been constructed in 1962. The project was completed in 2018. Highway 2 from Fort Macleod to south Edmonton is part of the CANAMEX Corridor, a divided highway with a combination of interchanges and several at-grade intersections except for a 50 km (31 mi) fully controlled-access freeway section in Calgary. The only set of traffic lights on this CANAMEX section are in central Claresholm;
1180-446: A non-official language as mother tongues, while 0.6% listed both English and French. 45.8% of residents were Christian in 2021, down from 58.5% in 2011. 20.4% were Catholic , 11.3% were Christian n.o.s, 10.0% were Protestant , and 4.1% belonged to other Christian denominations or Christian-related traditions. 49.4% were non-religious or secular, up from 39.2% in 2011. All other religions and spiritual traditions accounted for 4.8% of
1298-482: A planned extension of Ray Gibbon Drive will bypass St. Albert from Anthony Henday Drive to Highway 2. Upon completion of this road, Ray Gibbon Drive would be designated as Highway 2. On June 1, 2020, work began on the first phase to twin Ray Gibbon Drive from 137 Avenue NW to just north of LeClair Way. An interchange at Cardiff Road is also planned, just south of Morinville. North of Morinville, Highway 2
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#17327978409751416-602: A population density of 102.1/km (264.5/sq mi) in 2016. Grande Cache is the home of the Canadian Death Race . Grande Cache is the site of the Grande Cache Institution , a medium-security prison. Grande Cache is connected to Grande Prairie and Hinton via Highway 40. There was a community bus service once a week to Grande Prairie and Hinton. As of November 6, 2020, bus service has been cancelled until further notice. Grande Cache Airport
1534-504: A population density of 483.3/km (1,251.8/sq mi) in 2021. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Grande Prairie had a population of 63,166 living in 23,676 of its 26,204 total private dwellings, a change of 13.5% from its 2011 population of 55,655. With a land area of 132.73 km (51.25 sq mi), it had a population density of 475.9/km (1,232.6/sq mi) in 2016. The population of
1652-435: A population of 63,166, and was one of Canada's fastest growing cities between 2001 and 2006, and Canada's northernmost city with more than 50,000 people. The city has adopted the trumpeter swan as its official symbol due to its proximity to the bird's migration route and its summer nesting grounds. For that reason, Grande Prairie is sometimes nicknamed the "Swan City". The dinosaur has also emerged as an unofficial symbol of
1770-487: A safer route that would bypass most of the communities along the way. The plan to bypass Red Deer and Lacombe was presented by minister Gordon Taylor on September 15, 1960 at a meeting in Red Deer. The new $ 7 million divided highway would alleviate congestion on the existing route through Red Deer, splitting from the existing route south of the city and veering west to cross the Red Deer and Blindman Rivers before rejoining
1888-543: A second interchange at Highway 19/625 which serves the airport. The highway curves slightly to the northeast to an interchange at 41 Avenue SW, marking the Edmonton city limit and the end of the Queen Elizabeth II Highway designation. Five separately named routes are designated as Highway 2 in the cities of Edmonton and St. Albert, denoted by varying levels of signage. At the south end of Edmonton,
2006-417: A two lane highway immediately after Morinville, extending north past Manawan and Haley Lakes into Westlock County and a three-way intersection with Highway 18 near Clyde and Westlock . The highway turns due east, briefly concurrent with Highway 18 for 1 km, before turning northeast through increasingly wooded areas and a short concurrency with Highway 663 to Athabasca . The highway descends through
2124-573: A two-lane road that traverses the foothills of southern Alberta to Fort Macleod where it intersects Highway 3 and becomes divided . In Calgary, the route is a busy freeway named Deerfoot Trail that continues into central Alberta as the Queen Elizabeth II Highway, bypassing Red Deer . In Edmonton, it is briefly concurrent with freeway sections of Highways 216 and 16 before bisecting St. Albert and reverting to two lanes en route to Athabasca . It bends northwest along
2242-758: Is 24 km (15 mi) outside of town. There are no scheduled flights into Grande Cache Airport. The airport closed as of January 2017. Local schools in Grande Cache include: Alberta Highway 2 Highway 2 (also known as the Queen Elizabeth II Highway ) is a major highway in Alberta that stretches from the Canada–United States border through Calgary and Edmonton to Grande Prairie . Running primarily north to south for approximately 1,273 kilometres (791 mi), it
2360-596: Is a 41,000 sq ft (3,800 m ) building with many exhibits, a large theatre, classrooms, a paleontology lab, a gift shop, and a restaurant. The museum is named after Philip J. Currie , from the University of Alberta , who has contributed to the understanding of the link between dinosaurs and birds. The Bear Creek Folk Music Festival, first held in 2016, is an outdoor music festival held in late August on Borstad Hill in Muskoseepi Park. The festival
2478-680: Is a city in northwestern Alberta , Canada, within the southern portion of an area known as Peace River Country . It is located at the intersection of Highway 43 (part of the CANAMEX Corridor ) and Highway 40 (the Bighorn Highway), approximately 456 km (283 mi) northwest of Edmonton . The city is surrounded by the County of Grande Prairie No. 1 . Grande Prairie was the seventh-largest city in Alberta in 2016, with
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#17327978409752596-478: Is a core route in the National Highway System of Canada: between Fort Macleod and Edmonton and between Donnelly and Grimshaw. The speed limit along most parts of the highway between Fort Macleod and Morinville is 110 km/h (68 mph), and in urban areas, such as through Claresholm, Nanton, Calgary and Edmonton, it ranges from 50 km/h (31 mph) to 110 km/h (68 mph). During
2714-515: Is a lightly travelled two lane highway carrying well under 10,000 vehicles per day, but in 2012 Alberta Transportation completed a study to plan for extension of twinning from Morinville to north of Highway 18 near Clyde. In 2013, a study was completed analyzing possible truck bypasses of Athabasca, to the east and west of the current alignment. A 2010 study assessed twinning of Highway 49 from Valleyview to Donnelly, and Highway 2 from Donnelly to south of Nampa. Grande Prairie Grande Prairie
2832-549: Is a major part of Grande Prairie's economy, for large tracts of forest lie to the south in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies . International Paper (formerly Weyerhaeuser Canada ) kraft pulp mill, opened in 1972 by Procter & Gamble , is one of Grande Prairie's largest employers. Canfor runs a sawmill and lumber yard operation on the west side of the city. Norbord (formerly Ainsworth) oriented strand board plant opened in late 1995. Grande Prairie serves as
2950-688: Is again briefly concurrent with Highway 2A before reaching Highway 53 near Ponoka just after crossing the Battle River . The four lane highway continues approximately 30 km (19 mi) through gentle rolling hills of aspen parkland in Ponoka County to an interchange at Highway 611 where it enters Wetaskiwin County . Near Bearhills Lake, the highway meets Highway 13 , providing access east to Wetaskiwin and Camrose , and west to Pigeon Lake . North of an interchange with Highway 616
3068-584: Is an increasing industry. Coal has been pivotal to Grande Cache's history. The British Coal Board established a large mine in 1966 to produce metallurgical coal which was used in Japanese coke ovens to provide the carbon input for steel production. It is important to note that Grande Cache's coal typically was not intended for power generation due to its low volatiles content. According to the NY Times in 1971: "Japanese steel makers, or their customers, are paying
3186-628: Is dropped, and the highway carries on north into Rocky View County . Highway 2 exits north Calgary as a six-lane, 261 km (162 mi) freeway called the Queen Elizabeth II Highway , a name it retains until the southern city limit of Edmonton. It passes the major shopping centre of CrossIron Mills , bisecting the city of Airdrie several kilometres later. North of Airdrie, the route extends to Highway 72 before bypassing Crossfield and entering Mountain View County , continuing north past interchanges at Highways 581 and 582 leading to
3304-543: Is funded in part by the City of Grande Prairie. In 1995, the city hosted the Canada Games . The event was televised nationally on CBC Television . Hundreds of athletes competed in the events and the city gained status and recognition as a result. The city played host to the 2010 Arctic Winter Games from March 6–13, 2010. There are a number of parks in Grande Prairie, including the large Muskoseepi Park in
3422-556: Is largely a freeway between Okotoks and Edmonton, with improvements underway to eliminate the at-grade crossings that remain. Highway 2 begins at the United States border, as the two lane U.S. Route 89 crosses into Canada at Carway. The road proceeds north through the Rocky Mountain Foothills to a brief concurrency with Highway 501 , before bisecting the town of Cardston . At the north end of town,
3540-631: Is proposed, and new interchanges have been planned at Township Roads 264 and 265 to support future development in the area. Widening of the highway from four to six lanes between Airdrie and Crossfield is planned, and between Highway 42 and Highway 597. Between Edmonton and Leduc, Alberta Transportation has drafted plans to construct a dual freeway system in conjunction with a second ring road approximately 8 km (5 mi) beyond Anthony Henday Drive. The existing interchange at Highway 2A south of Leduc would be closed and reconstructed to modern standards further south. Between Edmonton and 41 Avenue SW,
3658-424: Is surrounded by farmland to the north, east, and west. To the south lies a vast boreal forest with aspen, tamarack, lodgepole pine, jack pine, and black spruce extending well into the foothills of the Canadian Rockies south and southwest of the city. The city actually lies on the southern edge of aspen parkland , which is a transitional biome between boreal forest and prairie . The Peace River Country contains
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3776-400: Is the largest full featured exhibition facility north of Edmonton, and can cater to upwards of 10,000 people at a time. It has a restaurant (open daily) and a lounge, and hosts events such as agricultural shows, rodeos, chuckwagon races, horse racing, sportsman and RV shows. A variety of halls, convention spaces and conference facilities all with paved parking are available. The largest building,
3894-476: Is the longest and busiest highway in the province carrying more than 180,000 vehicles per day near Downtown Calgary . The Fort Macleod —Edmonton section forms a portion of the CANAMEX Corridor that links Alaska to Mexico. More than half of Alberta's 4 million residents live in the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor created by Highway 2. U.S. Route 89 enters Alberta from Montana and becomes Highway 2,
4012-554: Is the main artery of the city with a speed limit of 60 km/h (37 mph), and crosses the Sturgeon River before exiting the city to the north into Sturgeon County as a divided highway approximately 5 km (3 mi) beyond the Sturgeon River. North of the city, the highway intersects Highway 37 before an interchange at Highway 642 west of Morinville , the main access for the town. Highway 2 reduces to
4130-540: Is the northernmost major farming region in North America . Land within the region is still being cleared for new farmland. Although some oil and gas drilling has been ongoing in the area since the 1950s, oil and gas exploration did not begin to occur on a large scale until the late 1970s. It was in the mid to late-1970s that the Elmworth gas field was discovered and developed, causing the city to grow rapidly until
4248-437: Is usually very mild, but can also be very cool or warm depending on the movement of different airmasses in the area. Wintertime is very cold and snowy, lasting from November into March, and sometimes even later. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Grande Cache had a population of 3,276 living in 1,238 of its 1,533 total private dwellings, a change of -8.3% from its 2016 population of 3,571. With
4366-571: Is −13.6 °C (7.5 °F), while the average July temperature is 16.2 °C (61.2 °F). However, temperatures as low as −52.2 °C (−62 °F) and as high as 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) have been recorded; the extreme humidex and wind chill readings are 40.8 and −63.0 °C (105 and −81 °F), respectively. The city receives 445 mm (17.5 in) of precipitation annually, including 322 mm (12.7 in) of rain and 154 cm (61 in) of snow. Snowfall amounts, however, vary greatly from year to year. Being fairly close to
4484-766: The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame before descending into the valley of the Red Deer River . It crosses the river alongside a railroad bridge, then curves north to interchanges with Highways 11 and 11A , leading west to Rocky Mountain House and Sylvan Lake , respectively. North of 11A, the highway crosses the Blindman River into Lacombe County to an interchange with Highway 597 at Blackfalds , curving slightly northeast to an interchange at Highway 12 at Lacombe . North of Lacombe, Highway 2
4602-737: The Bow River valley and southeast Calgary. From its split with Macleod Trail, Highway 2 becomes a major 46 km (29 mi) freeway named Deerfoot Trail that descends to cross the Bow River before entering Calgary city limits. In the city it crosses the river twice more, jogging back and forth between its east and west bank. The freeway intersects the Stoney Trail ring road at the south end of Calgary, with signage recommending that traffic en route to Calgary International Airport , Edmonton, and Medicine Hat use eastbound Stoney Trail as
4720-663: The Dane-zaa (Beaver) peoples, who began, in the early 19th century, trading with the North West Company at Dunvegan . The earliest recorded reference to the prairie was by Hudson Bay trader Samuel Black in 1824. In 1880, as a result of the fur trade war between the Hudson Bay Company (which merged with the North West Company in 1821), and independent fur traders, centering around Dunvegan,
4838-752: The Grande Prairie Storm , plays there), the Grande Prairie Museum , the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, 214 place, the tallest commercial building in the city, and Second Street Theatre. Grande Prairie is also home to a professional musical theatre company, "Broadway Live Broadway". The Reel Shorts Film Festival is a five-day international festival of short films that takes place at Grande Prairie Live Theatre's Second Street Theatre in early May. The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum , located fifteen minutes west of Grande Prairie,
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4956-693: The Mackenzie Highway . Highway 2 turns south to Grimshaw , while Highway 35 turns north, following the Peace River to High Level . Highway 2 bisects Grimshaw as 51 Street, then exits the town before turning west shortly thereafter, winding through the aspen parkland of the Peace Country to the town of Fairview , in which a campus of Grande Prairie Regional College is immediately south of the highway. The road continues west out of Fairview as Highway 64A, while Highway 2 turns south to exit
5074-546: The Municipal District of Willow Creek . Less than 1 km before meeting Highway 3 southeast of Fort Macleod, Highway 2 becomes a divided highway. Highway 3 splits east to Lethbridge, and the combined Highways 2 and 3 turn due west through town as a divided highway at a speed limit of 50 km/h. West of town, the highways diverge at an interchange; Highway 3 continues west as the Crowsnest Highway to Pincher Creek and British Columbia , and Highway 2 turns north across
5192-536: The Oldman River as a divided highway. It continues approximately 25 km (16 mi) north to Granum from which Highway 519 splits to the east. In tandem with Highway 23 , Highway 519 is often used by CANAMEX traffic to bypass Fort Macleod. Further north on Highway 2, the towns of Claresholm and Nanton are each bisected at a reduced speed limit of 50 km/h. The highway is concurrent with Highway 533 for its brief distance through Nanton. North of Nanton,
5310-550: The Willmore Wilderness Park . The hamlet held town status prior to 2019. The New Town of Grande Cache was incorporated on September 1, 1966. The purpose of creating a new town was to open the area for the development of coal mines. New town status allowed the town to use the Government of Alberta as a guarantor for debt. Construction of Grande Cache began in 1969. By 1971 a hospital, schools, stores, and
5428-590: The 1920s caused a temporary depopulation of Grande Prairie. But the population rebounded afterwards by the 1930s, by which time the population had reached 1,464. Settlement continued unabated even into the 1930s during the Dust Bowl era because the Peace Region was able to escape the severe drought conditions that plagued the Canadian Prairies further south at the time. The Second World War saw
5546-646: The Bear Creek Golf Club, and the Grande Prairie Golf and Country Club. A fourth golf course, Grovedale Golf Course, is also located approximately 20 km (12 mi) to the southwest of the city. Early in 2017, a new nine hole course, The Bear Paw Golf Course , with a par level of 3 opened up in the South Bear Creek Recreation Area. Grande Prairie has three 18-hole disc golf courses. Thrill Hill in
5664-546: The Bear Creek valley which winds its way throughout the city. Muskoseepi Park has excellent walking and bike trails extending nearly the entire length of Bear Creek, from the northwest to the southeast of the city. The park also contains the Ernie Radbourne Pavilion, the outdoor Bear Creek Swimming Pool and the outdoor Muskoseepi Park Pond which converts into a skating rink in the winter. Crystal Lake in
5782-472: The Blindman River between Blackfalds and Red Deer. In northern Alberta, 1966 saw work begin on initial grading for Highway 2 in the vicinity of Peace River. The section from Hondo to Slave Lake was completed and opened to traffic on October 18, 1966. The 8-span, 125-metre (410 ft) bridge over the Peace River was completed in 1968. An interchange at the highway's DeWinton turnoff south of Calgary
5900-478: The Blue Trail. Major changes include the construction of a divided expressway between Calgary and Edmonton in the 1960s, realignment along Deerfoot Trail in the 1980s, and twinning south of Nanton in the 1990s. A Highway 43 realignment in 1998 shortened Highway 2 by nearly 90 km (56 mi) to its current northern terminus in Grande Prairie; it previously extended west to British Columbia Highway 2 at
6018-741: The City of Grande Prairie according to its 2015 municipal census was 68,556, a change of 36.5% from its 2007 municipal census population of 50,227. In the 2021 census, 15.9% of residents were visible minorities, while 11.7% were Indigenous and the remaining 72.4% were white/European. The largest visible minority groups were Filipino (6.9%), South Asian (2.9%), Black (2.2%), Latin American (0.8%), Chinese (0.8%) and Arab (0.6%). As of 2021, 83.8% of residents claimed English as their first language. Other common mother tongues were Tagalog (3.4%), French (2.1%), Punjabi (0.8%), Spanish (0.8%), and German (0.6%) . 2.0% listed both English and
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#17327978409756136-664: The Entrec Centre has 105,000 sq ft (9,800 m ) of space, with a 46,000 sq ft (4,300 m ) main hall, and has hosted many concerts and trade shows in the past. Evergreen Park also has a 76 spot RV and Marine Campground which is open in the summer from May to October, as well as an archery centre, an equestrian facility, and 12 baseball diamonds, which are home to the Grande Prairie Reds Baseball Club. Grande Prairie has three 18-hole golf courses, The Dunes Golf and Winter Club,
6254-497: The GP Curling Club. Summer-long music festivals have been organized by community-minded individuals and charitable organizations. Grande Prairie has a wide range of local music genres, including country (such as Tenille Townes , Brad Sims, and more); reggae (Tasman Jude ); metal (Arrival of Autumn ); folk; rock, and more Cultural venues include Bonnetts Energy Centre (a concert hall and hockey rink—the local AJHL team,
6372-739: The Northern Extreme water ramp facility. It is also active in luge as a naturally refrigerated venue, hosting the FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships in 2007 . Cross-country skiing is also common during the winter. The Wapiti Nordic Ski Club is one of Canada's premier cross country skiing and biathlon facilities, and is just south of the city. There are over 35 km (22 mi) of both classical and skate skiing trails, as well as 4.5 km (2.8 mi) of nightly lit trails. There are also snowshoe trails as well as dog friendly trails. In
6490-465: The Peace Region is noted for never having experienced truly severe drought conditions more typical of Southern Alberta and neighbouring Saskatchewan . Tornadoes are rare but not unheard of in the Peace Region. A tornado struck the downtown area and east side of Grande Prairie on July 8, 2004. Although the tornado was considered a very weak one (F0-F1 on the Fujita scale) and the weather was not severe at
6608-554: The Queen Elizabeth II Highway where the 110 km/h speed limit is enforced by aircraft. The program is conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , and was relaunched in 2013 after being on hiatus due to budget concerns. Several aircraft are used including the Eurocopter AS350 helicopter. The number of tickets written during the operation is generally not enough to negate the cost of operating
6726-631: The Quesnell Bridge. It then turns back west to meet Anthony Henday Drive again, now in the vicinity of West Edmonton Mall . Henday assumes the designation of Highway 2 for a 6.7 km (4 mi) stretch to Yellowhead Trail (Highway 16), though the concurrency is unsigned. Yellowhead Trail continues east into Edmonton as a six lane freeway, again unsigned as Highway 2, until St. Albert Trail which proceeds northwest through light industrial and commercial areas before crossing Anthony Henday Drive to exit Edmonton into St. Albert . The six lane road
6844-579: The Sunshine Trail. It was a gravelled highway that ran from the US border at Carway directly through Macleod, Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton to Clyde where it became a dirt road. North of Clyde, it was the only highway that extended north into the Peace Country, bending east to Athabasca then northwest to Peace River. A secondary dirt road proceeded southwest to Dunvegan and the current terminus at Grande Prairie. When Alberta highways first received numbers,
6962-555: The Swanavon neighbourhood, South Bear Creek, and Coop Community Course at Evergreen Park. Downhill skiing is popular in Grande Prairie, which has a local ski hill called Nitehawk and is located south of the city on the south bank of the Wapiti River. Aside from skiing, Nitehawk also has the only North American natural luge track certified for international events, and over the summer months freestyle ski jumpers practice using
7080-628: The US and Canadian military establish Grande Prairie as a part of the Northwest Staging Route and for the construction of the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek to Alaska . Although Dawson Creek was chosen as the major starting point of the construction of the Alaska Highway , Grande Prairie was a major stopover point for military aircraft during the war, and benefited economically from this. Although Grande Prairie
7198-468: The aircraft, but police have stated that they are catching drivers committing infractions over a longer stretch of the road. In 2016, Leduc proposed photo radar speed enforcement on Highway 2 between the south end of the city and Edmonton's southern limit to catch excessive speeders, pending provincial approval. It is already in use within Edmonton and Leduc limits, but it would be the first implementation on Highway 2. Some residents complained that revenue
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#17327978409757316-410: The alignment of Highway 2 at the south end of Red Deer. The project included demolition of an existing bridge and construction of four new bridges for Highway 2. A substandard curve was removed and straightened, and a left entrance to Highway 2 for southbound traffic from Gaetz Avenue was reconstructed to crossover to the west side of the highway before joining the southbound lanes from the right side in
7434-443: The border. Several projects including median widening and interchange upgrades have been undertaken in the 2010s to increase the safety of the highway's busier sections, with further improvements either under construction or awaiting funding. Bypasses of Fort Macleod, Claresholm , and Nanton are planned as part of Alberta's effort to make its portion of the CANAMEX Corridor free-flowing from border to border. Much of Highway 2
7552-401: The border. Several projects including median widening and interchange upgrades were completed in the 2010s that increased the safety of the highway's busier sections. In the early morning hours of December 15, 2011, a Lethbridge man killed three people on Highway 2 immediately north of Claresholm. The man turned the gun on himself in a murder–suicide . Work began in 2016 to straighten
7670-416: The city due to paleontology discoveries in the areas north and west of Grande Prairie. The Grande Prairie area was historically known as Buffalo Plains, after the buffalo who would traverse the large prairie which lies to the north, east, and west of it. Émile Grouard , a Roman Catholic Priest, was the first to refer to the area as La Grande Prairie. In the 18th century, the prairie was occupied by bands of
7788-435: The communities of Carstairs and Didsbury , respectively. The highway meets Highway 27 at a cloverleaf interchange near Olds , approximately halfway between Calgary and Red Deer. Highway 2 enters Red Deer County and proceeds to interchanges with Highway 587 at Bowden , Highways 54 and 590 at Innisfail , and Highway 42 near Penhold prior to the city of Red Deer. South of the city, from McKenzie Road to 19 Street,
7906-531: The construction of a large pulp mill south of the city in the early 1970s. The construction and paving of Highway 43 (originally sections of Highways 2, 34, and 43 from the BC border to the Yellowhead Highway just west of Edmonton) in 1956 cut down on the travel time by road significantly, further enhancing Grande Prairie's accessibility and economic status. The town of Grande Prairie was incorporated as
8024-508: The daytime, but nights can be cool despite the long summer days typical for its latitude. Hot days over 30 °C (86 °F) are rare, occurring on average only two to three days a year, which is not unexpected this far north. Winter conditions can vary tremendously from year to year. Winters have been known to be mild enough to produce "brown Christmas" conditions, where little or no snow may fall until after Christmas due to unusually mild early winter conditions. The average January temperature
8142-515: The drop in traffic is brisk, increasingly so after Morinville where the highway is no longer divided. Volume remains very light through most of the Peace Country before briefly exceeding 20,000 vehicles per day near the northern terminus in Grande Prairie. Alberta Transportation publishes yearly traffic volume data for provincial highways. The table compares the annual average daily traffic (AADT) at several locations along Highway 2 using data from 2019, expressed as an average daily vehicle count over
8260-457: The early 20th century. It remains part of the local economy today. A variety of crops such as barley , wheat , canola , and oats are grown in the area. Livestock such as cattle and buffalo (bison) are also raised in the area. Despite being north of the 55th parallel , the climate is mild enough to allow for farming on a large scale to prosper. Longer daylight hours during the summer at this latitude aid in crop production. The Peace Country
8378-726: The economic and transportation hub for a trading area of nearly 290,000 people. Grande Prairie is also on the CANAMEX trade route linking Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The Grande Prairie provincial district was formed in 1930. Beginning in 1993 the Grande Prairie-Wapiti and Grande Prairie-Smoky districts were formed. In 2017 the Grande Prairie-Smoky electoral district was abolished. Live music can be found in several downtown bars and intermittently at all-ages locations such as Tito's Restaurant and
8496-529: The first homes were built. Grande Cache received town status on September 1, 1983. The community suffered a boom-bust cycle due to the dependence on a single employer that depended on a single commodity: coal . In an attempt to diversify the economy additional industries were encouraged to develop in the area. This included a wood chip plant and a federal prison operated by the Correctional Service of Canada . In recent years, wilderness tourism
8614-529: The first to stretch north into the Peace Country as it long predates Highways 43 and 63 . The intermittent sections of two-lane road between Calgary and Edmonton now designated as Highway 2A previously comprised the primary route between Calgary and Edmonton, Passing through Carstairs, the heart of Red Deer, Blackfalds, Ponoka, and Wetaskiwin. Plans were developed in the late 1950s for a new four-lane superhighway to connect Calgary and Edmonton, creating
8732-759: The foothills of the Canadian Rockies , it can get quite windy in Grande Prairie, especially in the spring and fall. Chinooks may occur in and bring winter thaws to the Grande Prairie area. Grande Prairie has 314 days with measureable sunshine per year on average, and just above 2,200 hours of bright sunshine or about 46.1% of possible sunshine, ranging from a low of 31.2% in November to a high of 59.1% in July. Summers can bring thunderstorms, although they are not as frequent nor as severe as those further south in Central Alberta . Rainfall can vary from year to year, but
8850-620: The foothills to the south and southwest. On clear days, some peaks in the Rockies are visible to the southwest from Grande Prairie. Grande Prairie has a northern continental climate typical of northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia , classified as humid continental ( Dfb ), bordering closely on a subarctic climate ( Dfc ) with old data under the Köppen climate classification . Winters are generally very cold with some mild spells. Summers are often fairly cool to pleasantly warm in
8968-642: The highway continues into the Foothills County to a major junction with Highways 23 and 2A at High River , after which it veers northwest to cross the Highwood River . On the other side of the river, a second interchange provides access to Okotoks via Highways 7 and 2A, and Highway 2 continues north across the Sheep River to De Winton where Highway 2A splits into southwest Calgary as Macleod Trail , and Highway 2 veers northeast toward
9086-605: The highway enters Blood Indian Reserve No. 148 and Highway 5 splits west to Waterton Lakes National Park ; it is briefly concurrent with Highway 2 before splitting east to cross the St. Mary River en route to Magrath and Lethbridge . Highway 2 continues north to another short concurrency with Highway 505 during which it crosses the Waterton River to Stand Off , continuing across the Belly River to Fort Macleod in
9204-449: The highway enters Leduc County , bending northeast toward the city of Leduc . After entering Leduc city limits, Highway 2 meets Highway 2A, which proceeds southeast through Leduc's southern suburbs as a four lane arterial road. Highway 2 immediately travels over Highway 39 at a diamond interchange, serving as the main access to central Leduc and ultimately leading west to Drayton Valley . Now six lanes wide, Highway 2 curves slightly to
9322-415: The highway significantly widens to five lanes each way. The northbound lanes become Gateway Boulevard and the southbound lanes Calgary Trail , and the two carriageways diverge to pass Gateway Park, located in the median of the highway and accessible from both directions. North of the park, the two directions of travel come back together, now at a reduced speed limit of 90 km/h (56 mph), to meet at
9440-490: The highway turns north past Winagami Lake to the town of McLennan on the south shore of Kimiwan Lake. It carries on west to a junction with Highway 49 , locally known as ' Donnelly Corner'. The two lane highway proceeds north through aspen parkland past Lac Magloire to the town of Nampa , after which it crosses the Heart River , a tributary of Peace River . The highway then curves to the northwest and descends along
9558-463: The highway widens to six lanes through an area known as Gasoline Alley . It is a popular stop for travellers and truckers including fuel stations and food establishments on either side of the highway, accessible via the interchange at McKenzie Road. Continuing north the highway again reduces to four lanes, veering left to bypass Red Deer to the west while Gaetz Avenue splits north into the city. West of Red Deer, Highway 2 passes Red Deer College and
9676-500: The highway would be realigned several hundred metres to the west to facilitate construction of a large interchange with the outer ring road. The existing bridges at Airport Road, Highway 19, 41 Avenue SW, and Ellerslie Road have all been constructed with sufficient width to allow for construction of two additional sets of lanes. In 2015, a planning study was completed outlining a new interchange at 65 Avenue in Leduc. In northwest Edmonton,
9794-404: The interchange of Highway 2 and Highway 23 near High River. The existing cloverleaf interchange was built in 1967 and does not meet the current standards in Alberta's Highway Design Guide. In Calgary, where Highway 2 (Deerfoot Trail) experiences heavy congestion at peak hours, a major planning study is underway to determine the best course of action for upgrades to the freeway. In 2007, a study
9912-400: The interchange, up from two. Planning is underway to convert the Queen Elizabeth II Highway between Calgary and Edmonton to a freeway. Near Red Deer, traffic levels are close to 50,000 vehicles per day, and Alberta Transportation begins consideration of widening to six lanes when levels exceed 30,000 vehicles per day. South of Airdrie, reconstruction of an existing interchange at Highway 566
10030-558: The late 19th century, the prairie was settled by Cree and Iroquois from around Jasper and Lac Ste. Anne . When 17 townships were surveyed for homesteading in 1909, a land rush soon followed, with many settlers arriving over the Edson Trail. In 1910, the Grande Prairie Townsite was sub-divided. By 1912, it included a bank, hotel, post office, and land office, making it a district metropolis. In 1916, it became
10148-452: The major east–west arterial of Ellerslie Road , providing access to Edmonton's southern residential areas of Heritage Valley , Ellerslie , and Summerside . This diamond interchange is intertwined with the major cloverstack interchange at Anthony Henday Drive (Highway 216) which immediately follows. Henday is a ring road that surrounds Edmonton, connecting Highway 2 to Highway 16 . Signage directs traffic destined for Lloydminster to use
10266-493: The national average of 70.96. Grande Prairie was 13th on the Violent Crime Severity Index with 139 per 100,000 people versus a 75.25 average for all municipalities included in the report. Grande Prairie possesses a diversified economy. Major industries include oil and gas, agriculture, forestry, and food services. Agriculture was the first economic mainstay of Grande Prairie since settlement began in
10384-421: The northeast part of the city also has parkland, preserved wetlands (great for birdwatching), and walking/bike paths around its entire circumference. Nestled within spruce and pine trees, on the south east side of the city, just a couple of minutes from downtown, is Evergreen Park. The park and facilities are home to the annual Grande Prairie Stompede event, which draws upwards of 30,000 people annually. The park
10502-402: The northeast to pass on the east side of Edmonton International Airport , still 13 km (8.1 mi) south of Edmonton city limits. The grass median significantly widens to over 100 m (330 ft), and access to the airport and Nisku is provided by an interchange at Airport Road. Traffic levels increase as commuters travel to and from the Leduc area to Edmonton, and the highway meets
10620-589: The northernmost area of aspen parkland in North America. Bear Creek goes through the city from the northwest to the southeast and is a tributary of the Wapiti River to the south. The Bear Creek Reservoir is the small body of water by Northwestern Polytechnic in the northwest part of the city, and is ringed by marshy wetland. The terrain immediately surrounding Grande Prairie is largely flat to gently rolling, but rises gradually to hilly terrain closer to
10738-470: The oil boom ended in 1981. Today Grande Prairie's location atop both the Montney and Duvernay geological formations have seen local extraction activities focused on natural-gas condensate and shale gas . As a result of this focus the region has maintained relatively high levels of activity when compared to areas where conventional resources, shallow gas or heavy oil are the primary resources. Forestry
10856-453: The old highway north of Lacombe. The routing was somewhat of a surprise to residents, who had expected the new bypass to pass east of the city. The previous route had been carrying 5,000 vehicles per day. The bypass opened on November 21, 1962. The previous segment of two-lane highway to the east, which had been carrying 5,000 vehicles per day prior to the opening of the expressway, was renamed Highway 2A and now carries commuter traffic over
10974-472: The population, up from 2.3% in 2011. The largest non-Christian religions were Islam (1.7%), Hinduism (1.1%) and Sikhism (0.8%). Until 2015, Grande Prairie topped the list for the national average for the Crime Severity Index, but by 2016 a report published by Maclean's , stated that the city had dropped to 12th place. The Crime Severity Index was 150 per 100,000 people, compared to
11092-486: The present-day Highway 2 was originally designated as Highway 1. When the major east—west route through Calgary that had been previously designated as Highway 2 was assigned to the Trans-Canada Highway, the province's major north—south route became Highway 2. A review of historical Alberta official road maps shows this to be the case prior to 1941. Highway 2 is one of the oldest major highways in Alberta, and
11210-465: The relocation costs of miners who have come to Grande Cache from Nova Scotia's fading Cape Breton coal mines, from the dying wheat hamlets of Saskatchewan, from Utah and Montana mines and from South Korea, Japan, West Germany, the Netherlands and Britain." In September 2018, Grande Cache's Town Council determined that, due to a reduction in population and the subsequent loss in tax revenue, the town
11328-504: The route between Calgary and Edmonton was traveled by David Thompson in 1800. The more modern trail was blazed by John McDougall in 1873 as far as Morley and extended to Calgary two years later. Development of the trail allowed mail service between Calgary and Edmonton in July 1883. By 1930, the entire present-day alignment of Highway 2 through to the British Columbia west of Grande Prairie had already been established as
11446-566: The south shore of Lesser Slave Lake as the Northern Woods and Water Route into High Prairie , before turning north to Peace River , west to Fairview and finally south to Grande Prairie where it ends at Highway 43 . Originally numbered as Highway 1, Highway 2 is the oldest major highway in Alberta and the first to stretch north into the Peace Country . It was historically known as the Calgary and Edmonton Trail , Sunshine Trail, and
11564-500: The southbound lanes of Highway 2 approximately 225 m (738 ft) to the west of Gateway Boulevard. The designation of Highway 2 turns west onto Whitemud Drive and it becomes a freeway once again, though now only at 80 km/h (50 mph), unlike the 100 km/h limit of the highway through Calgary. Whitemud Drive descends to cross Whitemud Creek before curving north to span the North Saskatchewan River on
11682-453: The southeast portion of Henday to reach Highway 16 north of Sherwood Park . Traffic destined for Jasper , Cold Lake , and Fort McMurray are directed onto the southwest portion of Henday to reach Highway 16 at Edmonton's west end. The freeway ends as three lanes of Gateway Boulevard eventually widen to four, travelling north past South Edmonton Common through south Edmonton as a busy urban street to Whitemud Drive . Calgary Trail carries
11800-580: The southern suburbs of the city reaching more than 170,000 vehicles per day at Memorial Drive near downtown, making that stretch of Highway 2 the busiest roadway in western Canada. Volume swiftly drops north of Beddington Trail in Calgary, but remains moderate on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway until Edmonton where it again increases to nearly 100,000 vehicles per day south of the city. Whitemud Drive, Anthony Henday Drive, Yellowhead Trail, and St. Albert Trail are all busy expressways carrying large volumes of local traffic, especially at peak hours. North of St. Albert
11918-486: The span of a year (AADT). The Queen Elizabeth II Highway between Calgary and Edmonton is prone to collisions in the winter, sometimes resulting in hours of delay, closures, and redirection of traffic onto sections of the adjacent Highway 2A. Deerfoot Trail in Calgary is also prone to a higher than average number of collisions due to its high volume and concentration of interchanges within a relatively short distance. Alberta Transportation has established several zones on
12036-598: The steep east bank of the Heart River into the town of Peace River . A passing lane aids eastbound traffic climbing from the valley. The two lane highway continues west through the town of Peace River before crossing the river of the same name. Climbing on the west bank of the river, it widens to four lanes and meets Alberta Highway 684 (Shaftesbury Trail) before exiting Peace River, reducing to two lanes, and passing north of Peace River Airport . 5 km (3.1 mi) east Cardinal Lake , Highway 2 meets Highway 35 ,
12154-607: The terminus of the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway from Edmonton. The Edson Trail from Edson to Grande Prairie was opened in 1911 as a means for settlers to reach the Grande Prairie area. It was basically nothing more than a tract of clear cut bush and forest, and was thus a very difficult route for many settlers, especially during wet weather. Because of this, large scale settlement came late compared to other major farming regions further south in Canada. Grande Prairie
12272-417: The time, it was still strong enough to damage houses and flip vehicles. There were no casualties or deaths. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , the City of Grande Prairie had a population of 64,141 living in 24,816 of its 27,551 total private dwellings, a change of 1.5% from its 2016 population of 63,166. With a land area of 132.71 km (51.24 sq mi), it had
12390-570: The town at 50 km/h as 50 Street toward the Athabasca River valley, before turning west to parallel the river as 50 Avenue. From this point until its split with Highway 49 over 200 km (120 mi) to the west, Highway 2 is designated as the Northern Woods and Water Route. The speed limit returns to 100 km/h as the highway climbs from the valley toward Baptiste Lake . At the lake, the two lane Highway 2 turns north to follow
12508-506: The town of Rycroft , where Highway 49 splits west carrying the remainder of the Northern Woods and Water Route to the British Columbia border. Highway 2 continues south to Highway 59 where it becomes a divided highway before bisecting Sexsmith and continuing to Highway 43 north of Grande Prairie, its northern terminus from 1998 to 2019. Prior to 1998, Highway 2 followed Highway 43 into British Columbia , where it became British Columbia Highway 2 to Dawson Creek . In 2019, when Highway 43
12626-466: The town, curving west then south again toward the Peace River valley. It again curves west to descend along the river's steep north bank. The highway crosses the Peace River on the Dunvegan Bridge , a suspension bridge over 700 m (2,300 ft) long. Passing lanes assist traffic climbing from the valley on both sides of the river. The highway continues 20 km (12 mi) south to
12744-522: The west bank of the Athabasca River for approximately 35 km (22 mi) before turning west at Lawrence Lake toward the unincorporated community of Hondo . There, it meets the northern terminus of Highway 44 before crossing the river and continuing northwest for 50 km to the southern terminus of Highway 88 in Slave Lake . Highway 88 follows the east bank of Lesser Slave Lake before
12862-421: The winter, accidents are common on the stretch of the highway between Calgary and Edmonton as the weather can change rapidly and drivers underestimate the conditions, overwhelming emergency services attempting to respond. As the main north–south access in Alberta, Highway 2 is the preferred path of the CANAMEX Corridor. Between Fort Macleod and Morinville, Highway 2 maintains no fewer than four lanes of traffic and
12980-476: Was a factor in almost 50% of injury collisions. Trails in the vicinity of the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor long predate the province of Alberta itself, which was not split from the Northwest Territories until 1905. The Calgary and Edmonton Trail was established as several trails ran south from a fur trade post that had been established at Fort Edmonton prior to 1800. The northern portion of
13098-483: Was completed by Alberta outlining plans for upgrades to the partial cloverleaf interchange of Glenmore Trail and Deerfoot Trail, one of the busiest road junctions in the province. Stage 1 of the proposed improvements would correct a pinch point on Deerfoot Trail by constructing a new three lane bridge to carry the northbound lanes over Glenmore. The southbound lanes would then be realigned on the existing bridges, such that Deerfoot Trail would be three lanes each way through
13216-515: Was incorporated as a village by the Province of Alberta in 1914, but it was not until the arrival of the railway in 1916 that farmland quickly expanded as waves of settlers came into the Peace region. The arrival of the railway and the increased settlement in the area drove up Grande Prairie's population past the 1,000 mark, allowing it to incorporate as a town on March 27, 1919. A local recession in
13334-597: Was moved to Highway 43X and bypassed Grande Prairie, Highway 2 was extended 2.4 km (1.5 mi) south to Grande Prairie city limits along its former, pre-1998 alignment; in Grande Prairie it becomes 100 Street. Highway 2 has a wide range of traffic levels along its length. At the south end, the highway is a lightly travelled two-lane road from the United States border to Fort Macleod. It then doubles to four lanes and volume progressively increases until De Winton north of Okotoks, but remains relatively light. Within Calgary, volume climbs exponentially on Deerfoot Trail through
13452-418: Was no longer financially sustainable. On September 25, 2018, town residents voted to dissolve the town into a hamlet under the jurisdiction of the Municipal District (MD) of Greenview No. 16. Out of 1,100 ballots cast in the vote, 1,065 were votes in favour of dissolution, 32 were in favour of remaining a town, and 3 ballots were rejected. The dissolution came into effect on January 1, 2019, rendering Grande Cache
13570-423: Was one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, growing from 37,000 to 47,000 people. After 2006, and with another recession, the population decreased slightly, followed by a slow increase to just over 69,000 by 2018. Grande Prairie is located just north of the 55th parallel north , and is 465 km (289 mi) northwest of Edmonton, lying at an elevation of 669 m (2,195 ft) above sea level. The city
13688-643: Was planned for 1974. On May 23, 2005, the section between Calgary and Edmonton was renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Highway in honour of the Queen's visit to Alberta as part of the province's centennial celebrations; the first road sign was personally unveiled by the Queen. It was the first highway in Canada to be named for her. Twinning south of Calgary continued in the 1990s. A Highway 43 realignment in 1998 shortened Highway 2 by nearly 90 km (56 mi) to its current northern terminus in Grande Prairie; it previously extended west to British Columbia Highway 2 at
13806-538: Was the main objective of the project. Leduc mayor Greg Krischke said that the project is not a "cash cow" and the primary objective is to reduce excessive speed and increase safety for first responders. An Alberta Transportation study shows that 100,000 vehicles exceeded 140 km/h (87 mph) on the stretch in 2015, and Krischke said that drivers who do not want tickets should abide by the speed limit. However, in 2014, less than 10% of injury collisions in Alberta involved drivers travelling at unsafe speeds. Tailgating
13924-510: Was well located in the southern edge of the Peace Country, it was competing with the towns of Peace River and Dawson Creek for the title of the most important centre of commerce and agriculture in the region until the late 1950s, when its population growth began to outstrip these towns as oil and natural gas exploration was underway in the Peace Region, especially since the first major discovery of oil further south in Leduc near Edmonton in 1947 and
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