Banff 
Parks Canada has completed a $12 million project to enhance roadway infrastructure in the Lake Louise region of Banff National Park.
Per the news release, the upgrades aim to improve visitor safety, support efficient traffic flow, and facilitate wildlife movement.
Visitor traffic to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, some of Canada’s most visited destinations, has surged by 70% in the last decade.
The completed works addressed critical needs on Lake Louise Drive and Whitehorn Road, the main routes connecting key attractions and the local community.
Roadway infrastructure upgrades and improvements:
Whitehorn Road
Whitehorn Road Wildlife Underpass; Credit: Parks Canada
On Whitehorn Road, 2.5 kilometres were resurfaced, two Texas gates replaced, and a wildlife underpass was added.
The underpass, funded with $1.15 million from the Lake Louise Ski Area, has already recorded 38 successful crossings, mostly by mule deer and a porcupine. Other species, including grizzly bears and lynx, have approached the structure but have yet to use it fully.
Lake Louise Drive
Lake Louise Drive – Roundabout/Credit: Parks Canada
The resurfacing of 3.5 kilometres of this road was completed, alongside installing a roundabout at Sentinel Road.
Additional improvements included push-button pedestrian signals, new line painting, better signage, and upgrades at the upper Lake Louise parking lot and the Fairview day-use area.
Lake Louise Drive – Tramline Trail/Credit: Parks Canada
The lowest kilometre of the Tramline Trail now runs alongside Lake Louise Drive, providing more undisturbed space for wildlife in the Fairview corridor.
Visitor Use Planning
According to Parks Canada, these upgrades help maintain ecological integrity by facilitating wildlife movement while improving the quality of the visitor experience through safer and more efficient facilities.
As part of an adaptive Visitor Use Management strategy, a Lake Louise Area Visitor Use Management Plan is in development. Public input gathered during the first phase will shape future conditions and strategies, with further engagement scheduled for early 2025.
