Alberta Highway 2
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2
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| Highway 2 |
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| Queen Elizabeth II Highway | |
| Length: | 1270 km (789 mi) |
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| South end: |  US 89 at American border in Carway |
| Major junctions: |
Hwy 3 in Fort Macleod Hwy 1 in Calgary Hwy 11 in Red Deer Hwy 16 in Edmonton |
| North end: | Hwy 43 near Grande Prairie |
| Major cities: | Fort Macleod, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton, Athabasca, Slave Lake, Peace River, Grande Prairie |
| System: | Alberta provincial highway, CANAMEX Corridor |
Highway 2 is the most important provincial highway in the Canadian province of Alberta. The stretch between Calgary and Edmonton is one of the most heavily used highways in Canada, and is designated the Queen Elizabeth II Highway or the ‘QE2 Highway’.
The speed limit along most parts of the highway between Fort Macleod and Edmonton is 110 km/h (70 mph) and in urban parts such as Calgary or Edmonton it is 100 km/h. During the winter time, accidents are not uncommon as the weather changes rapidly, and drivers underestimate the conditions. The worst area for accidents is the corridor north of Airdrie and south of Red Deer. Road closures are not uncommon. A sudden ice storm can create numerous accidents and pile-ups.
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[edit] Route
As its main north-south corridor, Highway 2 enters Alberta south of Cardston, at the Carway border crossing with Montana (where it continues as U.S. Highway 89). It travels northward through Fort Macleod to Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton. North of Edmonton the highway continues to Athabasca, after which the highway continues northwesterly along the south shore of Lesser Slave Lake into High Prairie, north to Peace River, west to Fairview and finally south to Grande Prairie.
As the main north-south access in Alberta, Highway 2 is the preferred path of the CANAMEX Corridor.[1] Between Fort Macleod and Edmonton, Highway 2 maintains no fewer than four lanes of traffic and is largely a controlled-access freeway between Okotoks and Edmonton, with improvements underway to eliminate at-grade crossings. It functions as a northern extension of Interstate 15 when combined with Highway 4 and a short section of Highway 3.
 Deerfoot Trail at the interchange with Peigan Trail in Calgary |
 At Crossfield single 2A foreground with the divided Hwy 2 in the distance. |
 Hwy 2 near Peace River |
North of Okotoks, the three northbound lanes of the highway split into Macleod Trail (Highway 2A) and Deerfoot Trail, which keeps the Highway 2 designation through Calgary. It passes immediately west of the Calgary International Airport before continuing north to the city of Airdrie, which is bisected by Highway 2, while a number of other smaller communities such as Crossfield are bypassed. The newer Highway 2 is built east of the communities and the ‘old’ route has become Highway 2A.
Red Deer is also primarily bypassed. Gasoline Alley, located at the south end of the city, is a popular stop for travellers headed for Calgary or Edmonton, with several fuel stations and food establishments. Continuing north, the highway again bypasses the smaller communities, this time on the west. Leduc, south of Edmonton, is bisected like Airdrie; however, this has been a result of westward growth of the community. The highway also passes immediately east of Edmonton International Airport, about 15 km south of Edmonton.
When the highway enters Edmonton, it becomes Calgary Trail (southbound) and Gateway Boulevard (northbound), then Whitemud Drive to the southwest part of the city. It then shares roadbeds with Anthony Henday Drive (Highway 216) and Yellowhead Trail (Highway 16) before heading north again along St. Albert Trail as it exits Edmonton towards St. Albert. This section of the highway is twinned until it reaches north of Morinville and after that it is a 2-lane road for almost the rest of the stretch. Highway 2 continues north to Athabasca, then west through Slave Lake and High Prairie before continuing north to McLennan, west to Highway 49 and then north to Peace River. The highway turns west then south through Grimshaw (the junction of the Mackenzie Highway) and Fairview, then over the Dunvegan Bridge, where it crosses the Peace River and ultimately terminating at an interchange at Highway 43 just north of Grande Prairie. Prior to highway renumbering in northwestern Alberta, Highway 2 followed Highway 43's current alignment into British Columbia, where it became Highway 2 to Dawson Creek.
[edit] Queen Elizabeth II Highway
On May 23, 2005, the section between Calgary and Edmonton was renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Highway in honour of Her Majesty's visit to Alberta as part of the province's centennial celebrations; the first road sign was personally unveiled by the Queen. It is the first highway in Canada to be named for the current Queen (Ontario’s Queen Elizabeth Way is named for Queen Elizabeth, the late Queen Mother).
[edit] Exit list
The province of Alberta began numbering exits on Hwy 2 in 2004.[citation needed]
[edit] Southern Alberta
| Location | # | Destinations | Notes | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardston County | US border in Carway | North extension of U.S. Route 89, southern end of Alberta CANAMEX corridor | ||
| Hwy 501 south of Cardston | ||||
| Hwy 5 in Cardston | ||||
| Hwy 505 branches west to Glenwood | ||||
| Hwy 505 branches east to Spring Coulee | ||||
| Hwy 509 branches east, north of Stand Off | ||||
| - | Crosses the Waterton River | |||
| Hwy 511 branches east | ||||
| Fort Macleod | 89 | Hwy 3 west (Crowsnest Highway) – Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass | North end of Hwy 3 overlap |
[edit] Calgary Region
| Location | # | Destinations | Notes | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High River, Foothills No. 31 | 194 | Hwy 23 – Blackie, Vulcan, High River | Signed as exits 194A (east) and 194B (west) | |
| Foothills No. 31 | 222 | Hwy 2A west (Hwy 547 east) – Okotoks, De Winton | ||
| 225 | Hwy 2A (Hwy 552) – Calgary | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 227 | Dunbow Road—De Winton | |||
| Calgary | 232 | Cranston Avenue, Seton Boulevard | ||
| 234 | Hwy 22X (Marquis of Lorne Trail) – Bragg Creek, Brooks | |||
| 236 | McKenzie Towne Boulevard, McKenzie Lake Boulevard | |||
| 238 | 130 Avenue Southeast | |||
| 240 | Barlow Trail north | |||
| 241 | 24th Street East, Douglasdale Boulevard | |||
| 243 | Anderson Road west, Bow Bottom Trail south | |||
| 245 | Southland Drive | Southbound exit is part of exit 247 | ||
| 247 | 11th Street East—Shopping Centre | |||
| 248 | Glenmore Trail | Signed as exits 248A (east) and 248B (west) southbound; northbound exit to Glenmore Trail west is via exit 247 | ||
| 251 | Peigan Trail east, Barlow Trail south | |||
| 254 | 17th Avenue SE, Blackfoot Trail South | |||
| 256 | Memorial Drive | |||
| 258 |  Hwy 1 (TCH) (16th Avenue North) |
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| 260 | 32nd Avenue North | |||
| 261 | McKnight Boulevard—Calgary International Airport | Signed as exits 261A (east) and 261B (west) | ||
| 263 | 64 Avenue North | |||
| 265 | Beddington Trail west | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 266 | Airport Trail—Calgary International Airport | |||
| 268 | Country Hills Boulevard—Delacour, Calgary International Airport | |||
| Rocky View No. 44 | 275 | Hwy 566 – Balzac, East Kathryn | ||
| 282 | Big Springs Road—Airdrie | |||
| Airdrie | 284 | East Airdrie Industrial Area | Northbound exit only | |
| 285 | Hwy 567 – Airdrie, Irricana | |||
| Rocky View No. 44 | 295 | Hwy 2A west / Hwy 72 east – Crossfield, Acme, Beiseker, Drumheller | ||
| 305 | Crossfield, Carstairs, Acme |
[edit] Central Alberta
| Location | # | Destinations | Notes | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View County | 315 | Hwy 581 – Carstairs, Cremona, Cochrane | ||
| 326 | Hwy 582 – Didsbury | |||
| 340 | Hwy 27 – Torrington, Trochu, Three Hills, Olds, Sundre | Signed as exits 340A (east) and 340B (west) | ||
| Bowden, Red Deer County | 357 | Hwy 587 – Bowden, Red Lodge Park | ||
| Red Deer County, Innisfail | 368 | Hwy 590 / Hwy 2A north / Hwy 54 west – Big Valley, Innisfail, Carolina | Signed as exits 368A (east) and 368B (north/west) northbound | |
| Red Deer County | 384 | Hwy 42 (Hwy 592) – Penhold, Pine Lake | ||
| 391 | McKenzie Road—Gasoline Alley | |||
| Gasoline Alley, Willow Street—Petrolia Industrial Park | Northbound exit only | |||
| Red Deer, Red Deer County | 394 | Hwy 2A north (Gaetz Avenue) / Hwy 595 – Penhold, Red Deer, Delburne | ||
| 397 | C&E Trail west, 32nd Street east—Red Deer | |||
| 401 | Hwy 11 (67th Street) – Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House | |||
| 405 | Hwy 11A – Red Deer, Sylvan Lake | Signed as exits405A (east) and 405B (west) | ||
| Lacombe County | 412 | Hwy 597 east / Aspelund Road west – Joffre, Blackfalds | ||
| Lacombe County, Lacombe | 422 | Hwy 12 – Lacombe, Stettler, Bentley | Signed as exits 422A (east) and 422B (west) | |
| Lacombe County | 431 | Hwy 2A south – Lacombe, Stettler | ||
| 437 | Hwy 437 north – Ponoka, Wetaskiwin | |||
| 439 | Hwy 604 – Morningside | |||
| Ponoka County | 446 | Matejka Road | ||
| 447 | Gee Road | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 450 | Hwy 53 – Ponoka, Rimbey | Signed as exits 450A (east) and 450B (west) | ||
| 462 | Menaik Road | |||
| 469 | Hwy 611 – Hobbema, Usona District | |||
| Wetaskiwin County | 482 | Hwy 13 – Wetaskiwin, Camrose, Ma-Me-O Beach, Winfield | Signed as exits 482A (east) and 482B (west) | |
| 488 | Correction Line Road | |||
| 497 | Hwy 616 – Millet, Mulhurst |
[edit] Edmonton Region
| Location | # | Destinations | Notes | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leduc County | 508 | Kavanagh, Glen Park | ||
| Leduc | 516 | Hwy 2A south – Leduc, Millet, Wetaskiwin | ||
| 517 | Hwy 39 – Calmar, Drayton Valley, Leduc | |||
| 519 | Leduc Business Sector | No southbound entrance | ||
| 521 | Leduc North Sector | Northbound exit only | ||
| 522 | 10th Avenue—Edmonton International Airport, Nisku Business Park | |||
| Leduc County | 525 | Hwy 19 west / Hwy 625 east (20th Avenue) – Devon, Nisku Business Park, Beaumont | ||
| Edmonton | Ellerslie Road | Highway 2 called Calgary Trail (southbound) and Gateway Boulevard (northbound) through southern Edmonton | ||
| Hwy 216 (Anthony Henday Drive) , Edmonton ring road | ||||
| Alberta Highway 14 (Whitemud Drive) east | Highway 2 called Whitemud Drive on this section | |||
| 111 St NW | ||||
| 122 St NW | ||||
| Terwillegar Drive | ||||
| 53 Ave NW | ||||
| Fox Drive (east) | ||||
| na | North Saskatchewan River | Bridge over river | ||
| 149 St NW | ||||
| 159 St NW | ||||
| 170 St NW | ||||
| 178 St NW | ||||
| Highway 216 | Highway 2 becomes a hidden concurrency with Highway 216 (Anthony Henday Drive) at this point | |||
| 87 Ave NW | West Edmonton Mall | |||
| Highway 16A—Stony Plain Road west to Stony Plain | ||||
| Yellowhead Highway west to Spruce Grove | Highway 2 becomes a hidden concurrency with Highway 16 (Yellowhead Trail) at this point | |||
| 184 St NW | ||||
| 170 St NW | ||||
| Yellowhead Highway east through north Edmonton | Highway 2 called St Albert Trail from here; end of concurrency | |||
| 137 Ave NW | Highway 2 called Mark Messier Trail from here to Edmonton city limit | |||
| St. Albert | Hebert Rd | |||
| Sir Winston Churchill Ave | ||||
| na | Sturgeon River | Bridge over river | ||
| Boudreau Road | ||||
| Highway 633 west to Villeneuve | ||||
| Sturgeon County | Highway 37 east to Fort Saskatchewan, west to Onoway | |||
| Highway 642 in Morinville | ||||
| Highway 651 east to Legal | ||||
| Westlock County | Highway 18 west to Westlock | Highway 2 turns east | ||
| Highway 18 east to Clyde | Highway 2 turns north | |||
| Highway 661 west to Fort Assiniboine, east to Newbrook |
[edit] Northern Alberta
| Location | # | Destinations | Notes | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athabasca County | Highway 663 west to Sylvan Glen | |||
| Highway 663 east to Boyle | ||||
| Athabasca | Highway 55 east to Lac la Biche, Highway 813 north to Wabasca | Highway 2 turns west | ||
| Athabasca County | Highway 812 south to Lincoln | Highway 2 turns north | ||
| Lesser Slave River MD | Highway 44 south to Crisholm | |||
| Highway 2A north to Smith | ||||
| na | Athabasca River | bridge over river | ||
| Slave Lake | Highway 88 north to Fort Vermilion | Highway 2 continues on the south shore of Lesser Slave Lake | ||
| Big Lakes MD | Highway 33 south to Swan Hills | |||
| na | Swan River | crosses bridge, access to Kinuso | ||
| Highway 750 north to Grouard | ||||
| Highway 749 in High Prairie | ||||
| Highway 2A west in Triangle | Highway 2 turns north | |||
| Smoky River MD | Highway 679 east to Winagami Lake Provincial Park, west to Highway 49 | |||
| passes through McLennan | Highway 2 turns west | |||
| passes through Donnelly | ||||
| Highway 49 west to Falher, south to Valleyview | Highway 2 turns north | |||
| Northern Sunrise County | Highway 683 | |||
| Highway 688 north to St. Isidore | Highway 2 turns north-west | |||
| Highway 744 south in Peace River | Highway 2 turns west, bridge crosses over Peace River | |||
| Peace MD | Highway 743 north to Deadwood | |||
| Highway 2A in Roma Junction, south to Grimshaw | ||||
| Highway 35 north to Manning | Highway 2 turns south | |||
| Highway 2A merges from east in Grimshaw, Highway 658 west to Hines Creek | ||||
| Highway 684 south-east to Peace River | Highway 2 turns west | |||
| passes through Berwyn | ||||
| Highway 737 north in Brownvale | ||||
| Fairview MD | Highway 735 north to Whitelaw | |||
| passes through Fairview, Highway 732 north to Hines Creek, Highway 64A west to Highway 64 | Highway 2 turns south | |||
| Highway 64 north to Hines Creek | ||||
| Spirit River MD | na | crosses Peace River in Dunvegan | bridge over river | |
| Highway 49 in Rycroft | ||||
| Highway 677 east to Kakut Lake | ||||
| Highway 677 west to Woking | ||||
| Grande Prairie County | Highway 59 west to Buffalo Lake, Highway 674 east to Teepee Creek | |||
| passes through Sexsmith | ||||
| Highway 43 east to Debolt | ||||
| Highway 670 east to Bezansen | enters the city of Grande Prairie | |||
| Highway 43 west to Wembley | end of Highway 2 at 100 St and 116 Ave in Grande Prairie |
[edit] References
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