19 Street Improvement Project

The 19 Street Improvement Project will improve safety, mobility, and capacity on one of Red Deer’s major arterial roadways. The majority of road rehabilitation was completed in 2023 with a small portion and roundabout construction continuing over 2024 construction season.
19th Street Map 2024

The above traffic pattern has been implemented and will continue through 2024 construction.

Current Situation

Roundabout construction has begun and detours are in place at 19 Street and 40 Avenue. Traffic impacts include:

  • No left turns at 19 Street and 40 Avenue
  • North/south traffic on 40 Avenue will have to turn right onto 19 Street
  • East/west traffic can continue straight on 19 Street or turn right onto 40 Avenue

This traffic pattern is in place to maximize the work area and keep the project on schedule. Signs are in place to ensure drivers are safely detoured around the work area.

Crews are finishing up construction and they anticipate opening the roundabout in mid-October. Trails and sidewalks along 19 Street from east of Sharpe Avenue to Irwin Avenue should open at the same time as the roundabout. There will be some construction activity on 19 Street between Gaetz Avenue and Irwin Avenue through the remainder of October; however, impacts to traffic will be minimal. 

During construction, Transit Route 4 will not be servicing stop #911 at Ironside Street and 40 Avenue. Transit riders can be picked up at the next stop located at Ironside Street and Inglewood Drive during the stop closure.

Why is this project needed?

The 19 Street Improvement Project will improve overall movement, safety and capacity along 19 Street between Gaetz Avenue and Irwin Avenue. This project included a complete reconstruction of the roadway that was completed in 2023 and a new multi-lane roundabout at 19 Street and 40 Avenue to improve roadway capacity and safety and new trails to encourage active movement in this area. The roundabout and completion of trails and rehabilitation will be completed in 2024.

  • Roadway rehabilitation: 19 Street between Irwin Avenue and Gaetz Avenue is a road in need, with the entire road infrastructure requiring upgrades to maintain the road’s integrity. This was mostly completed in 2023.
  • Roundabout at 19 Street and 40 Avenue: Construction of a multi-lane modern roundabout at 19 Street and 40 Avenue, will improve intersection capacity, reduce overall traffic delays and improve safety for all road users.
  • Trail connections: New multi-use trails will be built to provide better multi-modal connectivity between neighbourhoods, parks, and commercial spaces.
What work is involved in this project?

This project scope includes:

  • Complete rebuild of 19 Street between Irwin Avenue and Gaetz Avenue. This road is more than 20 years old and past its service life.
  • Construction of a multi-lane roundabout at 19 Street and 40 Avenue. This will improve intersection capacity and reduce overall delay by 80 per cent.
  • Construction of multi-use trails on 19 Street and 40 Avenue. This will provide better connectivity between neighbourhoods in the east and commercial areas in the west.
Will traffic be detoured?

In 2024, east/west traffic on 19 Street will remain open and traffic can make right turns at the 19 Street and 40 Avenue intersection; however, there will be no left turns at the 19 Street and 40 Avenue intersection and there will be no north/south traffic on 40 Street through 19 Street. All other intersections along 19 Street between Gaetz Avenue and Irwin Avenue will remain open.

There will be traffic delays as speed limits drop through the construction zones and drivers wanting to travel north or south through 19 Street at 40 Avenue will need to plan for a detour through south Red Deer or Red Deer County.

Will businesses remain open during construction?

Yes. All businesses will remain open, and access will be maintained during construction. The project will provide signage to direct drivers how to safely access businesses.

Will trails be closed during construction?

For safety reasons, all trails will be closed to the north and south of 19 Street between Irwin Avenue and Sharpe Avenue. There will be intermittent trail closures to the west of Sharpe Avenue. We know that trail users are excited about the new connectivity between residential and commercial areas in south Red Deer, but construction activities in the area will create hazards to pedestrians/cyclists on these trails so they will remain closed as long as the safety hazards are present.

Why are you adding a roundabout instead of keeping the traffic signals?

Modern roundabouts reduce delays and improve intersection safety compared to signalized intersections. 19 Street and 40 Avenue is a busy intersection in our city and, by replacing the signalized intersection with a multi-lane roundabout, we estimate reducing intersection delays by up to 30 seconds, and reduce potential vehicular and pedestrian conflict points, improving safety for all road users. 

When will construction happen?

Construction for 2024 has begun and expected to be complete by the end of October 2024. Keep your eye on this website and The City’s social channels to stay up to date on progress. You can also sign up for the project newsletter at the bottom of this page. 

Construction activities will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except for long weekends. This schedule is weather dependent and subject to change as the project requires. Contractors will adjust their hours according to project demands to keep progress moving. Obey traffic and trail signs at all times.

The 19 Street work is happening by the Westerner, will this impact access?

No. Access to Westerner Park will be maintained throughout construction this summer except for a day or two of paving when they complete the final lift of paving on 19 Street between Gaetz Avenue and Irwin Avenue in the fall of 2024.

Are there Transit impacts to construction?

Transit Route 4, stop #911 northbound from the Bower Hub, will be closed for the duration of the 2024 construction. Route 4 riders can use the next stop at Ironside Street and Inglewood Drive while stop #911 is closed. 

Other routes using 19 Street may be delayed during construction, but every effort will be made to minimize Transit impacts as we work to make this road safer.

Stay tuned! For more information about this project as it occurs, sign up for 19 Street Improvement Project updates delivered straight to your inbox.