Alberta Highway 2

Infobox road
province = AB
type = Hwy
route = 2
alternate_name = Queen Elizabeth II Highway
marker_

Text-superimpose|align = left|x = 13|y = 23|base_

Text-superimpose|align = left|x = 13|y = 23|base_

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|base_width = 40px|base_caption = Highway 2|float_text = 2|text_size = 2em

map_custom = yes

Grande Prairie

Airdrie

Fort Macleod

Wetaskiwin

Red Deer

St. Albert

Athabasca

Slave Lake

Peace River

Calgary

Edmonton

length_km = 1270
direction_a = South
direction_b = North
starting_terminus =
junction =
ending_terminus = Hwy 43 near Grande Prairie
cities = Fort Macleod, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton, Athabasca, Slave Lake, Peace River, Grande Prairie
established =
system = Alberta provincial highway,
CANAMEX Corridor
previous_type = Hwy
previous_route = 1
next_type = Hwy
next_route = 3

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.

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. [ [http://www.infratrans.gov.ab.ca/INFTRA_Content/docType59/Production/pol295.htm Government of Alberta—CANAMEX Trade corridor] ] 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 continuation of Interstate 15 into Canada when combined with Highway 4 and a short section of Highway 3.

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.

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).

Exit list

The province of Alberta began numbering exits on Hwy 2 in 2004.Fact|date=August 2007

outhern Alberta

Edmonton Region

Northern Alberta

References