It looks like Okotoks residents will have to "drive" around the issue for a while.
The Town of Okotoks has announced that Riverside Drive will be closed between Veterans Way and the Okotoks United Church until late October for sewer upgrades and road improvements. The project, part of the River’s Edge Infrastructure Improvement initiative, aims to enhance sanitary sewer capacity and reliability in the area while adding new on-street parking and upgraded roadway infrastructure.
Construction is expected to begin on August 19, 2026, and will be carried out in two stages. Stage 1, which will last from August 19 to 28, will involve deep utility work at the Veterans Way/Riverside Drive intersection. Stage 2, which will run from late August to late October, will focus on roadway and utility construction along Riverside Drive toward the Okotoks United Church.
The closure will impact traffic patterns, with detours and delays expected throughout the project. Significant congestion is anticipated at the Elizabeth Street/Northridge Drive intersection, particularly for westbound traffic turning left onto southbound Northridge Drive. Access to the Okotoks Public Library and the Okotoks United Church will be maintained through a temporary connection between the church and library parking lots.
Residents and visitors can expect the following impacts during the construction period:
- Riverside Drive between Veterans Way and the Okotoks United Church will be closed until late October.
- Veterans Way/Riverside Drive intersection will be closed from August 19 to 28.
- On-street parking along Riverside Drive between Veterans Way and the library parking lot will be unavailable during construction.
- EV charging stations at the ALC campus will be inaccessible during construction. Alternative locations can be found at https://www.okotoks.ca/our-energy.
For more information on the project, including detour maps and pedestrian routes, visit https://shapeourtown.okotoks.ca/rivers-edge.