Alberta’s rapid growth in recent years has created problems in planning and integration of the roadway network systems connecting neighboring urban and rural communities. This has resulted in a need for new approaches to address network interface issues. Rocky View County in collaboration with its transportation consultant team of iTRANS Consulting Inc. has charted a new innovative framework (this may be new innovative to us but not to the urban work) for a sustainable road network coupled to intensify, and plan, municipal development. This paper will summarize main points of the process and explain the benefits of the transportation planning tools and process used to develop a sustainable and cohesive transportation network throughout the region. Transportation planning plays an important role in the formulation of the overall strategy; extensive public consultation results in early buy-in of the development plan from the community, the municipal council and development industry. Innovative methods of analysis and provisions of creative solutions from “outside the box” thinking all contribute to the successful completion of a planning process that integrates a transportation network connecting communities. The new approach uses results of the developed traffic model and culminates in the development of a long-term transportation network that recognizes all modes of transportation including walking, bicycling, and the transition to a transit supportable system. For the future highways, a flexible cross-section system is used permitting necessary growth and integration and inclusion of mutli - modal transportation options. The subsequent developed network addresses the local and regional needs. It reflects a context sensitive design approach generated from use of the state-of-the-art techniques and practice tools. The adopted design approach addresses different needs of two distinctly different municipal environments, urban and rural, and enables each to operate satisfactorily in their respective jurisdiction. The developed plan forms a skeleton framework supporting the development expectations of the region. The functional transportation plan takes into consideration; land use planning, community heritage, residential development, business development, agriculture, natural environment, open space, river sub-basin management and utilities. It provides for inter-municipal and regional traffic access through the County into the City of Calgary via the Provincial Highway System and inter-municipal boundary and grid roads. The transportation network study completed for the area identifies a modified standards classification for the future interconnected roadway systems. Rural counties do not typically develop functional transportation studies that reflect a growth expectation and regional road network connections. Traditional approaches gave way to contemporary thinking for providing a more sustainable development over a 50 year growth forecast. This planning for the long-term connectivity of roadway networks in the County is considered a successful innovation from past practices.
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