St. Julien Road Reconstruction

The Town of Banff is reconstructing and enhancing St. Julien Road between Wolf Street and the Banff Centre in 2022. Construction will continue until October. All underground water and sewer lines are being replaced, private properties will have new utility connections, a sidewalk/trail is being created for the length of the road, new street lighting and storm drainage systems are being added. Renewal will create a safer road for hikers, cyclists and drivers.

Contractor: Bremner Engineering and Construction Ltd (BECL), based in the Bow Valley, was selected as prime construction contractor in a national open tender in early 2022.

Project Manager: Stephen Allan, PMP, Engineering Coordinator, Town of Banff
P 403.762.1296 stjulienroad@banff.ca

Disruption during 2022 construction

During the reconstruction, work will create significant disruptions to the people who live on the street, people who use the street to access Banff Centre, and hikers going to the Tunnel Mountain Trail. Information below is updated weekly with specific disruption impact and detour information.

Tunnel Mountain Lower Trailhead Access Closed

Due to the construction on St. Julien Road, hikers must detour around the construction zone to reach the Tunnel Mountain Trail. The lower trailhead parking lot is closed and parking at the upper trailhead is limited to a few cars, which fills up early. Walking from downtown is the best way to reach the trail.

Route options to the upper trailhead:

Walk south on Otter Street to Wolverine Street and use the Ken Madsen Path behind the Old Cemetery up to Banff Centre, and then take St. Julien Way to Tunnel Mountain Drive (See map 1 below).
Walk on the Buffalo Street trail to Surprise Corner viewpoint, on Tunnel Mountain Drive, and the upper Tunnel Mountain Trailhead (See map 2 below).

The lower trailhead located on St. Julien Road will not be accessible for most of the reconstruction project

Map 1 - Fast hiker route via Banff Centre

Map 2 - Scenic hiker route via Bow River trail and Surprise Corner

Banff Centre access

Pedestrian access to Banff Centre will be maintained on the Ken Madsen trail behind the cemetery, accessed on Wolverine Street. Vehicle access is limited to Buffalo Street and Tunnel Mountain Drive.

All pedestrian and vehicle access is closed to St. Julien Road at Wolf Street and Grizzly Street.

Construction Update - June 24-July 3:

St. Julien Road is closed to public access by vehicle, bicycle or by foot.
- St. Julien Road will be closed until October
- Only residents who live on St. Julien Road are allowed to access their homes, when it is safe to do so
- 4 parking zones for local residents only are established outside the construction zone (see map below)
- No access to the lower trailhead

This week, work on the St. Julien reconstruction work was affected by the rain. Heavy rain increases safety hazards with open excavations, and erosion must be managed.

Despite the rain, crews have completed several key tasks. The watermain between Wolf Street and Wolverine Street was disinfected and flushed, and water has been tested for bacteria to ensure it is safe to bring into service. Sanitary sewer main replacement has progressed up the road from the Wolf Street intersection towards Wolverine Street.

Next week, sewer replacement should reach the trailhead parking lot. Connections of water and sewer lines from private residential properties to the main lines will start as in early to mid-July. Temporary overland lines to homes will continue until after completion.

The work to replace the watermain from St. Julien Way to Wolverine Street is scheduled to start following the completion of the lower section.

Many homes on St. Julien Road will have full-day closures of driveway access this week.

View and download the UPDATED schedule matrix and map below for impact on access roads and individual property access.

Click schedule below (Updated June 24) for PDF download:

Click Map below for PDF download:

Project Overview

The development will follow the concept design approved by Banff Town Council in 2021 following comprehensive public engagement with local Banff residents. The reconstruction project will:

replace and realign the aging water and sanitary sewer pipes under the road
replace all utility connections to properties along the road
create a separated trail the full length of the road from Wolf St. to the Banff Centre intersection - the trail will be shared by pedestrians, hikers and cyclists heading uphill
improve the storm drainage for the road
resurface the length of the street
enhance safety at St. Julien's connections to Wolverine Street and Grizzly Street
convert Wolverine Street into a one-way street off St. Julien
add stairs and better alignment for a straight pedestrian trail connecting Caribou Street and the St. Julien Trail
add more street lighting
regrade the access to St. Julien at the bottom of the hill at Wolf Street
improve the entrance intersection at Banff Centre

The work will create a safer street for residents and visitors, and a longer lifecycle of the entire infrastructure below and above ground. It will become a more enjoyable route to the Tunnel Mountain trailhead and the street will drain better and snow clearing will be improved.

The reconstruction of the road and sidewalk is based on the Banff Streetscape Design Guidelines for this type of road, factoring the width constraints and slope challenges of a road on the side of a mountain.

Project Timeline

February-April 2021: public engagement to Finalize Design - Complete
May 10, 2021: Council approves design based on public input - Complete
May-September 2021: detailed design and engineering planning - Complete
November 2021 - January 2022: Council approves capital project in budget debate - Complete
February-March 2022: tender construction project - Complete

2022 Construction Milestones

March: tree removal to allow trail widening and road construction works to proceed - Complete
April/May: road surface removal starts
May: temporary water and sewer system established for properties on St. Julien
May-July: water system replacement
June-Aug: sanitary sewer system replacement
August: storm sewer and drainage system replacement
Sept: Street light replacement
August-October: road surface and trail work
October/November (weather permitting): landscaping and surface infrastructure finishing – may carry over 2023

This construction timeline will be updated at the start of construction in May.

Receive project updates

Sign up in the Notify Me section of the website for "St. Julien Road Reconstruction" to receive email notifications about construction updates and planned impact, and upcoming opportunities to learn more about the project.

Previous 2022 updates:

Info Session and Q&A

The Town hosted an online information and Q&A session on April 7, 2022, for residents and interested members of the public. The session provided an overview of the project, what residents who live on the street can expect, the planned schedule, and answers to any questions to the project manager. The information session was delivered over Zoom using a "webinar" function, allowing the session to be recorded.

Thursday, April 7, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Click to watch Zoom online meeting
Presentation (PDF)

More information, such as maps, detour routes, and construction schedules affecting each property will be added to this project page as they are finalized.

Public Input

The Town gathered input on the design options in 2021. (Completed public input: banffviewpoints.ca/stjulien.) Engagement through walking tours, online forum and surveys and submitted discussion guides provided direction on a number of options for the road design that were presented to Banff Town Council in May 2021. Council approved the final design concept, then set the budget in January 2022.