Maintenance work coming on Whoop-Up Drive this year

An important project to replace the bridge coating system on the westbound section of Whoop-Up Drive Bridge across the Oldman River is anticipated to start in May and take several months to complete.  A minimum of two westbound lanes of traffic will be maintained during the construction and the eastbound lanes should not be impacted. 
 
The bridge coating project is needed to protect the lifespan of the bridge, a critical part of the City’s transportation infrastructure. This work has been planned since 2019 when the eastbound Whoop-Up Drive Bridge recoating was completed.   
 
Given the importance of this corridor, the City wants to provide ample notice to our residents. The construction tender is now out, with more specific timelines and impacts still to be confirmed. Various options for completing the work are being explored during the tender process to help minimize traffic interruptions. 
   
The 2026 work will also include recoating the north girder of the eastbound structure, following the damage the bridge sustained in an incident last summer. This work will happen under the bridge and will not impact traffic.  
  
Containment of the area is required as per Alberta Environment and Parks regulations. Access and containment for the coating work will require scaffolding be secured to the underside of the bridge structure. Botteril Bottom Road under the bridge will be down to one lane, with alternating access. If scaffolding is required on top of the deck, the two-lane configurations will be shifted towards the centre of the bridge to allow for wider shoulders to accommodate the scaffolding placement.  
 
The project was approved in the 2022-2031 Capital Improvement Program (as part of project C-9). It is in addition to the bridge rehabilitation work on Whoop-Up Drive that was completed in 2025.  
 
More information on this project will be available at the Community Conversation set for Thursday, January 29, from 3-7 p.m., at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena.   
 
For Public Inquiries:   
Call or chat 311 | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.