Lake Louise August Long Weekend
Traffic Plan
The August Long weekend is here, the weather forecast predicts hot sunny weather and we are
on track for a busy weekend. In order to help alleviate traffic congestion, improve safety, and
uphold the visitor experience at the Upper Lake Louise Area during the August long weekend,
Parks Canada will be implementing a number of measures and services including instituting
professional traffic managers at both 4-way stops in the village and providing a free shuttle from
Lake Louise overflow parking lot to Moraine Lake.
What Happened on July 29th?
On July 29th between 11:30 and 1:30 a rolling road restriction was implemented at the Great Divide
parking Lot on Lake Louise Drive. This rolling road restriction was part of a pilot to help alleviate traffic
congestion and unsafe parking practices at the Upper Lake Louise Area during the August Long Weekend.
Hotel guests, staff, commercial deliveries, bus tours and other guided experiences (such as horseback
riders) were allowed through the road restriction.
During the period that the road restriction was in place wait times were reported to be between 40 and 50
minutes for those who accessed the Lake Louise area. It was determined by Parks Canada that this was
not a viable option for the Long Weekend.
What is Parks Canada doing to help mitigate traffic congestion?
High Visitation is expected for the August Long Weekend and Parks Canada has taken measures to help
alleviate traffic suggestion and mitigate parking issues. The following will be in place all three days of the
weekend.
Communications: Communications outlining alternative opportunities in the Banff and Lake Louise
area have been distributed to community members and local businesses, via Banff Lake Louise Tourism,
social media posts, and information on the website. Important notices concerning holiday traffic have
been posted on the Banff National Park website and on the overhead electronic sign at Castle Junction
informing visitors of holiday traffic and delays.
The FREE Moraine Lake Shuttle: Building on the success of the Fall Festival Shuttle, Parks Canada is
pleased to provide a free shuttle from the Lake Louise Overflow to Moraine Lake. The Shuttles run every
20 minutes from 9:00 am to 5:40 pm from Saturday August 1 through until Monday August 3, 2015
(inclusive).
Traffic Management Control Support: Standish towing will be providing traffic control in 4 different
locations in the Lake Louise Area. Two pairs of traffic controllers will be located at both 4-way stops, one
pair will be located in the Upper Lake Louise parking lot monitoring the exit and bus loop and one pair
assisting with parking at the Lake Louise Overflow parking lot.
What is the Traffic Plan for the Weekend?
Parks Canada has worked closely with the RCMP, and local partners to develop a Long Weekend Protocol
for Lake Louise Drive and Moraine Lake Road. The following procedure will be implemented if required:
Moraine Lake Road: Moraine Lake Lodge staff will monitor the Moraine Lake parking lot. Once the lot is
full, a rolling road closure will be put into place. Hotel guests, staff, commercial deliveries, bus tours and
other guided experiences will be allowed access to the area. The restriction will stay in place until
congestion has settled and parking comes available.
Lake Louise Drive: A phased approach will be utilized when dealing with congestion on Lake Louise
Drive. The RCMP holds responsibility in implementing these phases
Phase 1: RCMP will monitor traffic along Lake Louise Drive once upward traffic is backed up from the
Fairview/Sentinel Drive to the Upper Lake Louise Area AND backed up from the Upper Lake Louise Area
to the Great Divide parking lot downward OR vice versa the RCMP will implement a road restriction at
the Fairview/Sentinel Drive intersection.
Standish Towing will man the Fairview/Sentinel Drive intersection and will re-route traffic back out of
the village.
Hotel Guests, Staff, tour buses, taxis, commercial vehicles etc. will be given access to Lake Louise.
Once the traffic has cleared the road can be re-opened. Parks Canada Law Enforcement will be
monitoring the situation and will inform Banff Dispatch of the restriction lift.
Phase Two: Should traffic volumes build to the point where traffic is grid-locked within the Village of
Lake Louise, RCMP will re-locate the road restriction to the Lake Louise Drive/Village Road intersection.
Standish will control traffic at this point with support from Parks Canada Law Enforcement and the
RCMP.
Phase Three: Should traffic volumes persist to the point where it is not feasible for Hotel Guests, Staff,
tour buses etc. to make their way into the village of Lake Louise. The RCMP will implement the road
restriction on the on/off ramps to the TCH. Both RCMP and Parks Canada Law Enforcement will station
vehicles at the top of the ramps and re-direct visitors back onto the Trans Canada Highway.
At all three stages portable electronic signage on the highway and at the Fairview/Sentinel Drive
intersection will indicate that parking lots are full.
If visitors ask:
Parks Canada has experienced over the last two years an increase in visitation. This increase could result
in higher than normal traffic volume and possible delays.
Day use visitors hoping to visit either Moraine Lake or Lake Louise are encouraged to do so before 9 am
and after 5 pm. We encourage visitors to develop an alternative plan to other area attractions such as the
Icefields Parkway or in Yoho and Kootenay National Parks should they not have the opportunity to visit
their intended destination.
For more information:
Contact Alyssa Salloway at Alyssa.salloway@pc.gc.ca or 587-335-9378 or the Lake Louise Visitor Centre.