The Alberta government is planning to remove a popular tourist hotspot between Kananaskis and Canmore. The viewpoint at Lac des Arcs, located along the Trans-Canada Highway, has been the site of several crashes over the years. The layout of the area has westbound highway drivers trying to merge into the right-hand lane in order to stop at the viewpoint, just as residents leaving the nearby hamlet of Lac Des Arcs try to enter the right lane of the highway from Range Road 91A. Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors (TEC) is proposing closing the highway pullout and extending the westbound on ramp from the Lac des Arcs overpass in its place. “The issue is the westbound traffic; it is getting busier and busier,” said Helen Rose, president of the Lac des Arcs community association. Lisa Rosvold, reeve for the Municipal District of Bighorn, says while the viewpoint is the gateway to the Rocky Mountains, it’s also a high collision zone. “This is something (Lac des Arcs residents) have been asking our council to advocate for,” she said. Rob Duffy, fire chief at the MD of Big Horn, says there have been 85 motor vehicle collisions in the area since 2023. “We’ve had some vehicles that have been sideswiped, we’ve had other vehicles that have been rear-ended — and it’s caused three-to-five-car pileups,” Duffy said. Lucia Vella, who was passing through the area on Wednesday, stopped at the Lac des Arc viewpoint to get some photos. “This is probably the best stop for the best view,” she told CTV News. Vella said she was upset to learn the province was looking at getting rid of the viewpoint. “Find a way to make it work,” she said. “I would be pretty disappointed if they closed it.” In a statement to CTV News, TEC said it maintains collision data for all provincial highways and considers safety and operational factors when assessing potential improvements. The estimated cost for changes to the area is pegged at approximately $1.4 million. TEC says once funding is secured, it will begin working on a design and construction for the viewpoints closure.
