# Alberta Highway 22

Highway 22, officially named Cowboy Trail, is a 584-kilometre (363 mi) highway in the Canadian province of Alberta. It generally parallels Highway 2, beginning in the foothills of southern Alberta at Highway 3 near Lundbreck Falls. It proceeds north along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains passing through the foothills and ranch country to the aspen parkland of northern Alberta, ending at Highway 18 near Mayerthorpe.
Cowboy Trail continues south and east of Highway 22 by following Highway 3 to Pincher Creek, Highway 6 to Waterton Lakes National Park, and Highway 5 to Cardston.
Alberta Transportation is currently constructing a new interchange at the over-saturated intersection of Highways 22 and 1A in Cochrane. There are also long-term plans for twinning from Bragg Creek to the north end of Cochrane, and the implementation of passing lanes near the highway's south end.

## Route description
### Overview

Highway 22 is the longest and most significant north–south highway in south and central Alberta, aside from Highway 2. It serves as the main artery for the western areas of the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor and the Calgary Metropolitan Region. Having historically run though a lightly populated area – and being paralleled by the 4 lane, higher speed Highway 2 less than 100 kilometres east – Highway 22 did not initially see much traffic. It was built as a 2 lane road with only a handful of passing lanes on its long length, and only a single interchange at Highway 1. Since the mid-1990s, the region west of Calgary has experienced rapid growth, creating heavy traffic on sections of Highway 22, particularly between Diamond Valley and Sundre.

### Southern Alberta

Highway 22 begins as a two-lane rural highway in the Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9 near Lundbreck Falls at Highway 3, the Crowsnest Highway. It proceeds north across increasingly flatter terrain of the foothills, parallel to the Oldman River, and then crosses it before entering the Municipal District of Ranchland No. 66, there are no significant communities in this area. The highway winds to the east of the Black Heritage Rangeland Natural Area, intersecting Highway 520 which branches east to meet Highway 2 at Claresholm. Highway 22 continues north through scenic terrain to the Chain Lakes Reservoir, from which Highway 533 splits east to meet Highway 2 at Nanton. Farther north the highway continues through Longview, Diamond Valley (made up of the former twin towns of Black Diamond and Turner Valley), and Millarville. The highway then jogs west at a T intersection with Highway 22X. Approximately 30 km (19 mi) later, the road turns north again at a T intersection with Highway 66 and passes through a corner of Bragg Creek where there is a signal light. Highway 22 then cuts though a corner of the Tsuu T'ina 145 Reservation passing by the community of Redwood Meadows. Immediately after exiting the reservation Highway 22 reaches an important Roundabout junction at Highway 8, enters Rocky View County and then crosses the Elbow River. From there it heads north past an interchange at the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) and reaches the Town of Cochrane which with a population over 30,000 is eligible for city status.

### Cochrane

Highway 22 serves as Cochrane's main north–south artery. Upon entering Cochrane the two lane highway passes though a major signalized intersection at Fireside Gate/James Walker Trail before dipping down into the Bow River Valley (with an southbound uphill passing lane) before meeting another signal light at George Fox Trail. It then crosses the Bow River on a 2 lane bridge. Upon reaching the other side of the river it passes though three more signal lights at Griffin Road, Quigley Drive and Bow Valley Trail (Highway 1A) in short succession (the later is currently being replaced with an interchange). It then proceeds up a hill (with a northbound uphill passing lane) out of the river valley before meeting one final signal light at Sunset Drive. Shortly afterwards Highway 22 exits the city.

### Central Alberta

Immediately after leaving Cochrane Highway 22 passes the Hamlet of Cochrane Lake and then an important intersection with Highway 567. From there it continues north to the Village of Cremona and then meets Highway 27 at another T intersection. After jogging west it reaches Sundre where it once again turns north to Caroline. After another short westward jog the highway crosses the Red Deer River and heads north to Rocky Mountain House where it runs a short concurrency with Highway 11. From there it continues north to Highway 39 where it jogs west for the fourth time crossing the North Saskatchewan River and reaching Drayton Valley. It continues north from Drayton Valley and reaches Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) at Entwistle approximately 85 km (53 mi) west of Edmonton. After a 8 km (5 mi) westbound concurrancy with Highway 16, it continues north to cross Highway 43 in Mayerthorpe and ends 7 km (4 mi) north of the town at Highway 18.

## History

The original alignment of Highway 22 started at Highway 2 (Macleod Trail) south of Calgary and travelled west to Priddis, where it turned south to Turner Valley and terminated at Highway 7 in Black Diamond. In the 1970s, the province of Alberta began upgrading a series of roads to form a north–south, all-weather highway west of Highway 2. Beginning in c. 1972, the road connecting the Trans-Canada Highway and Cochrane was designated as part of Highway 22. In c. 1973, the numbered secondary highway system appeared, with the road between Cochrane and Highway 27 being designated as Highway 922 (the paved section between Cremona and Bottrel became Highway 22) while the road between Priddis and Bragg Creek was briefly designated as Highway 553, becoming Highway 922 in 1975. Throughout the remainder of the 1970s, Highway 922 was extended from Highway 3 in the south to Highway 57 near Drayton Valley in the north. Coinciding with Highway 922 being paved in c. 1976, Highway 22 was extended from Cochrane to Cremona, while the following year it replaced Highway 922 between the Trans-Canada Highway and Priddis; as part of the project, the section between Priddis and Macleod Trail was renumbered as Highway 22X. In c. 1980, all remaining gravel sections of Highway 922 were reclassified as Highway 22, along with a 18 km (11 mi) section of Highway 7 between Black Diamond and Longview, a 56 km (35 mi) section of Highway 57 between Drayton Valley and Entwistle (the remaining 27 km (17 mi) section of Highway 57 became part of Highway 39) and Highway 755 between Highway 16 and Mayerthorpe. Throughout the 1980s, Highway 22 was paved, with all but a small section near Chain Lakes Provincial Park being completed by 1990 (the latter was completed in the mid-1990s).
In 2014, a new $52 million bridge across the North Saskatchewan River near Drayton Valley was completed, replacing the original bridge which was constructed in 1957.
In 2019 the cloverleaf interchange where Highway 22 crosses Highway 1 was modified for safety reasons as part of a rehabilitation project resulting in two out of four loop ramps being removed a new signal light being added on Highway 22.
Starting in 2022 the section of Highway 22 between Highway 1 and Highway 8 began to be realigned and raised to avoid being flooded by the new Springbank dry reservoir in the event of a major flood. The project also included the construction of a bridge carrying Highway 22 over a new canal that will feed the reservoir.

## Future

In April 2017, Alberta Transportation announced plans for a new interchange at Highway 1A in Cochrane. After years of delay construction finally began in May 2023, the interchange is expected to take 3 years to complete. When finished it will be the first interchange to provided a free flowing movement to Highway 22 though traffic.
Alberta Transportation's 2024 Provincial Construction Program shows new roundabouts on Highway 22 in Bragg Creek and at Highway 567 in the detailed design phase which implies that Alberta Transportation intends to construct them within the next two years. Plans to 4 lane Highway 22 within Cochrane including the construction a new bridge across the Bow River were also referenced as undergoing engineering assessment in the 2024 Construction Program which will likely result in this section being the first 4 lane portion of Highway 22.
Alberta Transportation retained Tetra Tech EBA to complete a study in the feasibility of new passing lanes over a 118 km (73 mi) distance of Highway 22 between Highways 3 and 543. The study was published in August 2011 and determined that passing lanes are justified at several locations, but at the time Alberta Transportation had no plans to proceed with the project. However these passing lanes were also mentioned as undergoing engineering assessment in the 2024 Provincial Construction Program implying that they will likely be built in the near future.
Alberta Transportation has plans to twin Highway 22 between Cochrane and Highway 8 with a longer term widening of up to 6 lanes. These plans also include upgrading the interchange at Highway 1; no timeline has been set for construction.

## Major intersections

From south to north:
| Rural/specialized municipality | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
| M.D. of Pincher Creek No. 9 | Lundbreck | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 3 – Fort Macleod, Lethbridge, Crowsnest Pass | |
| M.D. of Pincher Creek No. 9 | ​ | 24.2 | 15.0 | Crosses Oldman River | Crosses Oldman River |
| M.D. of Ranchland No. 66 | ​ | 44.4 | 27.6 | Highway 520 east – Claresholm, Barons | |
| M.D. of Ranchland No. 66 | Chain Lakes Provincial Park | 71.3 | 44.3 | Highway 533 east / PAR 152 west – Nanton | |
| M.D. of Ranchland No. 66 | ​ | 82.2 | 51.1 | Highway 532 west – Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park | |
| Foothills County | Bar U Ranch N.H.S. | 96.5 | 60.0 | Highway 540 east – Pekisko, Cayley | |
| Foothills County | Longview | 109.1 | 67.8 | Crosses the Highwood River | Crosses the Highwood River |
| Foothills County | Longview | 110.5 | 68.7 | Highway 541 west – Kananaskis Country | |
| Foothills County | ​ | 117.9 | 73.3 | Highway 543 east – High River | |
| Foothills County | Diamond Valley | 127.6 | 79.3 | Highway 7 east – Okotoks | Hwy 22 branches west; formerly Black Diamond |
| Foothills County | Diamond Valley | 128.4 | 79.8 | Crosses the Sheep River | Crosses the Sheep River |
| Foothills County | Diamond Valley | 131.6 | 81.8 | Highway 546 west – Sheep River Provincial Park | Hwy 22 branches north; formerly Turner Valley |
| Foothills County | Millarville | 142.9 | 88.8 | Highway 549 west | South end of Hwy 549 concurrency |
| Foothills County | ​ | 146.1 | 90.8 | Highway 549 east – Okotoks | North end of Hwy 549 concurrency |
| Foothills County | Priddis | 159.1 | 98.9 | Highway 22X east – Calgary | Hwy 22 branches west |
| Foothills County | ​ | 175.9 | 109.3 | Highway 762 south – Millarville | |
| ↑ / ↓ | ​ | 176.2 | 109.5 | Highway 66 west – Elbow Falls | Hwy 22 branches north |
| Rocky View County | Bragg Creek | 179.6 | 111.6 | Highway 758 south – Bragg Creek Provincial Park | |
| Tsuu T'ina Nation No. 145 | Redwood Meadows | 185.3 | 115.1 | Redwood Meadows Drive | |
| Rocky View County | ​ | 190.2 | 118.2 | Highway 8 east – Calgary | Roundabout |
| Rocky View County | ​ | 191.3 | 118.9 | Crosses the Elbow River | Crosses the Elbow River |
| Rocky View County | ​ | 197.3 | 122.6 | Highway 1 (TCH) – Calgary, Banff | Interchange; Hwy 1 exit 161 |
| Rocky View County | Cochrane | 208.3 | 129.4 | Crosses the Bow River | Crosses the Bow River |
| Rocky View County | Cochrane | 210.1 | 130.6 | Highway 1A (Bow Valley Trail) – Calgary, Canmore | Interchange proposed |
| Rocky View County | ​ | 218.5 | 135.8 | Highway 567 east – Airdrie | Roundabout |
| Rocky View County | Bottrel | 234.9 | 146.0 | Highway 574 east – Madden, Crossfield | |
| Mountain View County | ​ | 245.4 | 152.5 | Highway 579 west – Water Valley | |
| Mountain View County | Cremona | 250.0 | 155.3 | Highway 580 east – Carstairs | |
| Mountain View County | ​ | 265.3 | 164.8 | Highway 582 east – Didsbury | |
| Mountain View County | ​ | 277.2 | 172.2 | Highway 27 east – Olds | Hwy 22 branches west; south end of Hwy 27 concurrency |
| Mountain View County | Westward Ho | 278.9 | 173.3 | Crosses the Little Red Deer River | Crosses the Little Red Deer River |
| Mountain View County | Sundre | 287.3 | 178.5 | Highway 760 south – Bergen | |
| Mountain View County | Sundre | 287.6 | 178.7 | Crosses the Red Deer River | Crosses the Red Deer River |
| Mountain View County | Sundre | 289.6 | 179.9 | Highway 584 west – Bearberry | Hwy 22 branches north; north end of Hwy 27 concurrency |
| ↑ / ↓ | ​ | 304.1 | 189.0 | Crosses the James River | Crosses the James River |
| Clearwater County | James River Bridge | 306.0 | 190.1 | Highway 587 east – Bowden | |
| Clearwater County | ​ | 323.1 | 200.8 | Highway 54 east – Innisfail | Hwy 22 branches west; south end of Hwy 54 concurrency |
| Clearwater County | Caroline | 328.0 | 203.8 | 50 Street | |
| Clearwater County | ​ | 335.9 | 208.7 | Crosses the Clearwater River | Crosses the Clearwater River |
| Clearwater County | ​ | 336.1 | 208.8 | Highway 591 west – Ricinus | Hwy 22 branches north; north end of Hwy 54 concurrency |
| Clearwater County | ​ | 353.9 | 219.9 | Crosses the Clearwater River | Crosses the Clearwater River |
| Clearwater County | ​ | 361.2 | 224.4 | Highway 11 east – Red Deer | Hwy 22 branches west; south end of Hwy 11 concurrency |
| Clearwater County | Rocky Mountain House | 366.2 | 227.5 | Township Road 392 to Highway 752 south | |
| Clearwater County | Rocky Mountain House | 369.6 | 229.7 | Highway 11A west / Highway 598 east (52 Avenue) – Leslieville | Access to Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site |
| Clearwater County | Rocky Mountain House | 373.1 | 231.8 | Highway 11 west – Nordegg, Saskatchewan River Crossing | Hwy 22 branches north; north end of Hwy 11 concurrency |
| Clearwater County | ​ | 379.8 | 236.0 | Highway 12 east – Lacombe | |
| Clearwater County | ​ | 406.5 | 252.6 | Highway 53 east – Rimbey, Ponoka | |
| County of Wetaskiwin No. 10 | ​ | 433.4 | 269.3 | Highway 13 – Alder Flats, Wetaskiwin | |
| Brazeau County | ​ | 452.9 | 281.4 | Highway 616 – Buck Creek, Breton | |
| Brazeau County | ​ | 464.6 | 288.7 | Highway 39 east – Leduc | Hwy 22 branches west |
| Brazeau County | ​ | 470.0 | 292.0 | Crosses the North Saskatchewan River | Crosses the North Saskatchewan River |
| Brazeau County | Drayton Valley | 474.0 | 294.5 | 50 Street | |
| Brazeau County | Drayton Valley | 475.1 | 295.2 | Highway 620 west – Lodgepole, Brazeau Reservoir | Hwy 22 turns north |
| Brazeau County | Drayton Valley | 478.3 | 297.2 | 50 Avenue | |
| Brazeau County | Rocky Rapids | 485.2 | 301.5 | Highway 621 west – Cynthia | |
| ↑ / ↓ | ​ | 494.9 | 307.5 | Highway 624 east – Tomahawk | |
| Parkland County | Entwistle | 519.9 | 323.1 | Highway 16 (TCH/YH) east – Edmonton Highway 16A west – Entwistle | Interchange; Hwy 16 exit 289; Hwy 22 branches west; south end of Hwy 16 concurrency |
| ↑ / ↓ | ↑ / ↓ | 520.9 | 323.7 | Crosses the Pembina River | Crosses the Pembina River |
| Yellowhead County | Evansburg | 522.1 | 324.4 | UAR 115 north | |
| Yellowhead County | ​ | 527.8 | 328.0 | Highway 16 (TCH/YH) west – Jasper | Hwy 22 branches north; north end of Hwy 16 concurrency |
| Yellowhead County | ​ | 528.5 | 328.4 | Highway 16A – Wildwood, Evansburg | |
| Lac Ste. Anne County | ​ | 561.1 | 348.7 | Highway 647 west – Anselmo | |
| Lac Ste. Anne County | Mayerthorpe | 567.3 | 352.5 | Highway 43 – Whitecourt, Grande Prairie, Edmonton | |
| Lac Ste. Anne County | ​ | 574.3 | 356.9 | Highway 18 – Green Court, Barrhead | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus ||||||