Ready to roll: bike share pilot launches in Calgary

The City of Calgary has issued the first of two operating permits for Phase One of the Council approved Dockless Bike Share Pilot. 

Dockless bikes are set to hit the streets of Calgary, as part of the first pilot project of its kind in Canada. Calgarians can expect to see shared bike services on streets and pathways this fall.

Like car share technology, the dockless bike share will be GPS-enabled and can be rented using each company’s smartphone app. A bicycle can be parked in an acceptable public space, making sure it is not impeding pedestrian traffic. Each operator will have a service area within Calgary, where bicycles will be available to the public.

“The City is taking an innovative approach to the traditional bike share model,” says Dockless Bike Share Pilot Project Manager Nathan Carswell. “We are excited that citizens of Calgary will be given another mobility option that will connect them to the places they live, work and play.”

Two applications to operate in Phase One of the pilot were received from Lime and U-bicycle. Both companies meet the operating requirements outlined as part of the permit application. Lime is planning to commence operations in October 2018 while U-bicycle plans to start operations in spring 2019.

For the first phase of the pilot, Lime will have a fleet of 375 electric pedal assist bicycles. While The City will provide oversight, the pilot will be fully funded and operated by each bike share company. Costs to The City will be recovered by fees collected from the permitted operators.

“Besides being implemented at no cost to the City, bike share will create jobs, promote mobility, and enhance tourism. We’ve seen the success of Car2go and other ‘disruptive’ technologies—bike share is another example of Calgary adopting bold new transportation methods.  Our cycling infrastructure is in place and this pilot project will only compliment it,” says Councillor Evan Woolley.

Set to run until 2020, the bike share pilot will allow The City to explore new ways of providing flexible, affordable and accessible mobility options. Throughout the process, feedback will be gathered by the operators through customer surveys. An application process for phase two of the pilot will take place in Spring 2019.


For more information about the Dockless Bike Share Pilot, visit calgary.ca/bikeshare.

Green Line route and stations approved by City Council

Yesterday, City Council approved the full 46 km alignment and 28 stations for the Green Line LRT from 160 Avenue N to Seton. This is a major milestone for the program, and ensures that the Green Line can be built in stages as funding becomes available.

We could not have reached this major milestone without the support of Calgarians. We would like to thank the community associations and business groups along the route, and the thousands of people who took part in events across the city over the last two and a half years. Your local insight has helped shape this program – from envisioning the development potential around stations to changing the route to protect community assets, and refining locations of stations for better access for customers. We couldn’t have done this without you, and we appreciate the countless hours you have dedicated to working with us to plan the best Green Line for Calgary.

What happens now?
Our focus this summer will be to secure the funding required to start construction on the first 20 km from 16 Avenue N (Crescent Heights) to 126 Avenue SE (Shepard). We are aiming to have shovels in the ground by 2020, with the first stage of construction complete by 2026. Visit the website to learn more.

2017/2018 construction
In December 2016, the Federal and Provincial Government committed more than $250 million to fund a series of Enabling Works for the Green Line LRT for 2017/18. These projects will clear the path for future Green Line construction, and include utility relocations, land preparation, environmental remediation and transit improvements.

Some projects are anticipated to begin this summer. Please check the website for details.

Next steps – fall 2017 & beyond
We will be back in the fall to talk to communities within the stage 1 construction area to further refine the design and plan for construction.

Planning will continue on future stages of the Green Line LRT as well as the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) work in the north.

Area Redevelopment Plans and Station Area Plans will continue to be refined in the southeast, and will be presented to Council in 2018.
Fast Facts on Green Line:

Full Green Line

• 46 km – full Green Line route
• 28 Stations in total
• At full community build-out, the Green Line will carry an estimated 240,000 trips per day

Stage 1 construction

• 20 km
• 14 stations
• 8 bridges (Elbow River, Blackfoot Trail, Highfield Blvd, 46 Avenue SE, Deerfoot Trail, Bow River, 78 Avenue SE and 90 Avenue SE)
• 1 km of elevated track between Inglewood/Ramsay to 26 Avenue stations
• 4 km Centre City tunnel from 20 Avenue N to Macleod Trail
• 1 light rail vehicle (LRV) Maintenance and Storage Facility north of 126 Avenue SE (Shepard)
• Approximately 70 low floor vehicles
• $4.65 billion capital construction cost

To follow the Green Line story, visit our website or subscribe to newsletter updates.

Deerfoot Trail Study recommends short-term improvements

The City of Calgary and Alberta Transportation are working together to develop a program of upgrades to manage traffic and improve safety on Deerfoot Trail. Over the last year, the study has considered more than one hundred iterations that have resulted in five short-term improvement recommendations for future consideration:

1. Southland Drive to Anderson Road / Bow Bottom Trail S.E. southbound basket weave
2. “Jughandle” intersection at 32 Avenue / 12 Street N.E.
3. Left-turn restrictions at McKnight Boulevard / 12 Street N.E. (existing Council-approved plan)
4. Northbound ramp connection between McKnight Boulevard and 64 Avenue N.E.
5. New northbound on-ramp from 11 Street N.E. 

Currently, there is no funding for short- or long-term improvements on Deerfoot Trail. Once funding is allocated, the short-term improvement recommendations are lower-cost options that could be implemented within two years.

Numerous short-term recommendations were generated by considering the results of more than 15 studies on Deerfoot Trail completed over the last 20 years, analyzing over 10,000 comments from citizens during the first phase of engagement in 2016, and a technical assessment of problems on the corridor today. Stakeholder workshops were held in late 2016 to gather feedback on the options.

The options needed to meet several criteria to be considered further:

• Provide benefits for five to 10 years
• Able to be designed and implemented within two years of being funded
• Offer improvements for problem locations that benefit the entire corridor
• Result in benefits that are greater than the cost within 10 years

Many improvement options were identified and considered along the entire corridor – in both directions – including for the problem areas around 17 Avenue S.E., Glenmore Trail and the Ivor Strong Bridge. The designs that will address those areas require significant infrastructure investment and do not meet the criteria mentioned above for consideration in the short-term. However, those areas will be addressed in the long-term recommendations. For more details on some of the options considered, please see the Short-term Options Stakeholder Workshop What We Heard report.

The short-term recommendations are preliminary and have been advanced enough to identify what additional land would be needed and the estimated cost to implement them. These details will help to inform future funding decisions.

To view the short-term improvement recommendations, and for more information about the study, please visit calgary.ca/deerfoot.

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During Road Safety Week, Calgary motorists reminded that speeding can be fatal

The City is reminding drivers to slow down during Road Safety Week this year.

Tony Churchill, Leader of Traffic Safety at Roads, says speeding, even a little, can greatly reduce safety for you, your passengers, and others outside your vehicle.

“Some drivers believe it’s okay to speed a little – that as long as they aren’t speeding more than 5-10 km/h over the limit, they will be safe,” says Churchill. “But the data shows this is not true. Driving just 10 km/h over the limit can impact your reaction time and increase the risk of collision as much as driving impaired by alcohol at the legal limit.”

 

The City takes collisions very seriously and uses data like this to make adjustments where we can to improve safety on Calgary’s roads, he adds.

According to Road Safety Vision 2010, 17% of all road users killed annually were traveling at excessive speeds. Calgary-specific data shows that excessive speeding was a factor in an average of 13% of casualty collisions over a 5-years span.

“Speeding reduces the time available to perceive and react to hazards, and increases the distance required for a vehicle to stop.” Churchill says.

On average, 94 collisions occur in Calgary each day. While this may seem high, it is an improvement over past decades. The fatality collision rate has declined by 45% in the past 20 years which is believed to be due to better road design and traffic calming, safety education, increased enforcement and because more people are taking transit.

Despite a relatively good traffic safety record, The City’s traffic safety team is continuing to work hard to make Calgary roads safer by implementing the Safer Mobility Plan.

“We have done a lot in the last few years to improve safety as described in the Calgary Safer Mobility Plan. We are already busy planning out our actions for the next five years and we’re looking forward to strengthening our Vision Zero approach while maintaining realistically aggressive targets for improvement.”

The actions The City has taken to implement the five-year Safer Mobility Plan include: Road Safety Audits, In-Service Road Safety Reviews, development of the Pedestrian Strategy and implementation of measures to mitigate identified collision issues.

To learn more, visit Calgary.ca/trafficsafety.

Recommendations announced for the first stage of construction for the Green Line LRT

Today, City of Calgary Administration announced their recommendation for the first stage of construction for the Green Line LRT. Stage 1 of Green Line is recommended to extend from 16 Avenue N (Crescent Heights) to 126 Avenue S.E. (Shepard). This will be the longest LRT line ever constructed at once in Calgary’s history, and is one of the largest transit projects being planned across Canada. As we’ve done with all other previous lines in Calgary, the Green line will open in 2026 with extensions added pending further funding. 

Fast facts about Stage 1:

• Includes construction of 20 kilometres and 14 stations, including the Centre City tunnel, and a new maintenance and storage facility, and a fleet of new low floor LRT vehicles. 
• Projected to serve 60,000 to 65,000 Calgarians on opening day. 
• This first stage of the Green Line is based on anticipated funding from the Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments for a total of $4.65 billion. 
• Stage 1 is projected to begin construction in 2020, pending approvals and funding, and is anticipated to open in 2026. 
• In the 10 years leading up to opening day, Stage 1 is estimated to create over 12,000 direct construction jobs and over 8,000 supporting jobs (engineering, planning, administration, etc). 
• An estimated additional 400 long-term operational jobs will be created to operate and maintain Stage 1. 
• It will reduce greenhouse gases by 30,000 tonnes, the equivalent of 6,000 vehicles being taken off the road on opening day. 
• Is the most technically complex portion of the Green Line due to the tunnel in the Centre City. Building it now creates the foundation for future extensions, which can be built station-by-station as additional funding becomes available. 
• The full 46 km Green Line LRT from 160 Avenue N to Seton in the southeast would be built out in subsequent stages in the future. 

Planning today for the long-term Green Line LRT vision

In size and scope, the Green Line will be the single largest piece of public infrastructure that The City of Calgary has ever undertaken. The 46 kilometre line will almost double Calgary’s existing 59 kilometre LRT network, and the project tops the list of priorities for The City of Calgary.

A project as big as the Green Line LRT takes significant time, planning and resources. The City has been working in earnest on the Green Line for several years, and has carefully evaluated every component of the project, from corridor and alignment to development potential and community benefits. The City has also met with thousands of Calgarians at hundreds of events to hear perspectives that helped the Green Line evolve into the project that it is today.

Estimated costs and funding status

Early in the planning process, it was estimated that the Green Line could cost between $4.5 and $5 billion, which assumed funding contributions of $1.53 billion from each of the three levels of government. This estimate was based on per-kilometre costs of past LRT lines in Calgary, and did not include the results of public engagement, a full analysis of land requirements, or the recommendation for underground stations in the Centre City.

Through public engagement, we heard clearly that Calgarians want the Green Line to be built right the first time, which meant making an up-front investment in tunnelled infrastructure in the Centre City. Read our blog for more information on how we arrived at the fully tunnelled route in the Centre City.

The Green Line will be a long-term investment in Calgary’s future, and will be built in stages over a number of years. Discussions are currently progressing among all three levels of government to determine the overall funding for the program.

Read our blog on how Federal Funding fast tracked the Green Line LRT project.

Projects across Canada

The Green Line vision and planning that Administration will present to City Council for approval in June will then be presented to prospective Federal and Provincial funding partners. There are currently ten other major transit projects in the planning or construction stages across Canada. It is critical that The City present a smart, sustainable and forward-looking program to finalize the funding needed to make the first stage of the Green Line LRT a reality.

What happens next?

Next week, Administration will formally recommend the first stage of construction of the Green Line to City Council. The recommendation will include building the core from 16 Avenue N (Crescent Heights) to 126 Avenue S.E. (Shepard), with the intention to extend the line as funding becomes available. This staged approach has served Calgary well in the construction of both the Red and Blue LRT lines, and Administration is confident that, this staged approach will achieve the ultimate Green Line vision.

To learn more about how Administration arrived at this staging recommendation, view our FAQ or read the report to Council when it is posted later today.

Upcoming decision dates:

• Strategic Session of Council - Monday, May 15: Council will hear the details of the staging recommendation.
• Standing Policy Committee for Transportation and Transit (T&T) - Wednesday, June 21: Administration will present the full Green Line vision to Committee, including alignment and Transit Oriented Development plans.
• City Council - Monday, June 26: Administration will seek approval of the full Green Line vision from City Council

Upcoming public events:

The Green Line team is holding events along the alignment to give Calgarians a sneak peak of the full vision that will be presented to Committee and Council in June. Watch your inbox and calgary.ca/GreenLine for details about events in your community.

Subscribe to our distribution list to make sure you’re getting the latest information about the Green Line LRT.

For more information, view the Green Line Stage 1 FAQ (PDF).

Getting around construction on 17 Avenue S.

We started the big rebuild of 17 Avenue S. in April. Through May and June, the construction zone will extend from one block to three blocks, which means closing the Avenue in this area to traffic. In some cases through construction, 17 Avenue S. will be closed for four blocks. This full road closure on 17 Avenue S. is the best way to get the work done in a timely manner. But it also means closing these blocks to people driving to and through the area, including Transit routes.

As a solution, we’re switching 14-15 Avenue S. from two-way streets to one-way streets to accommodate the detour on May 23. It’s a big change, but a necessary one given the impact of 17 Avenue S. construction on how people travel in the area. There were a number of items we took into consideration when making this decision:

• The one-way 14-15 Avenues allow room for Transit routes to stay close to their original routes on 17 Avenue S. when they need to be detoured from 17 Avenue
• Maintains an east-west connection close to 17 Avenue S. for people visiting the area by vehicle.
• Maintains on-street parking, although some parking will be temporarily removed to accommodate transit and bus stops.
• Provides a predictable, consistent and formal route, as close as possible to the closed 17 Avenue S blocks that makes the detour safer.
• Signs will direct people around the construction zone so people are encouraged to get back onto 17 Avenue S., once past the construction zone.

It’s our priority to maintain access for people walking, cycling and driving in the area during construction. The goal is to get people where they need to go, while balancing the needs of citizens who live in the area, while we rebuild 17 Avenue S.

We heard you! You want more information. For up-to-date information on the detour visit the Getting Around web page.

FAQ

How do we balance the needs of people who live, work and visit 17 Avenue and the Beltline?

The City is investing in 17 Avenue and the Beltline by upgrading the road, utilities and sidewalks on 17 Avenue. This project will see up to three to four blocks of 17 Avenue S., plus minor intersections, closed for months at a time. People travelling by bus or by vehicle will not be able to use 17 Avenue S. in these areas.

To make sure people can still access their homes from the Avenue and the Avenue itself, plus to keep transit buses detouring as close to the 17 Avenue S. routes as possible, converting 14 and 15 Avenues to one-ways is the best means to achieve these goals.

Will 14 Avenue and 15 Avenue turn into busy roads like 11 avenue and 12 Avenue?

No. We’ll be signing the detour to encourage people to only use the two Avenues to bypass the construction zone- not to stay on the 14-15 Avenues for the entire length of the one-ways. At intersections, the existing stop signs and traffic controls will remain in place. On-street parking will remain on both sides and only be temporarily removed for temporary bus stops and near intersections. The result is a detour that will encourage people to get back onto 17 Avenue S. as soon as they can.

The City will also monitor the Avenues to ensure traffic is moving safely and efficiently.

Why did The City pick 14 and 15 Avenues as the detour and why one-way streets?

The City evaluated different detour plan options and determined that turning 14-15 Avenues into one-way streets to accommodate detours was the best option because:

• One lane of traffic in one direction makes enough space to keep Calgary Transit buses operating on and close to their original routes on 17 Avenue S.
• Maintains an east-west connection, which bypasses the construction zone, close to 17 Avenue for people visiting the area by vehicle.
• Maintains the most on-street parking, although some parking will be temporarily removed to accommodate transit detours and bus stops.

How will this detour work?

• It will be in place for the duration of construction on 17 Avenue S.: 3-4 years
• People driving will only be detoured around the construction zone. Signs will be in place directing people off of 17 avenue S. at the construction zone and then back onto 17 Avenue S. after they’ve bypassed the construction zone.
• One-way traffic will be in place between Macleod Trail and 14 Street S.W.:
• 14 Avenue is one lane for westbound traffic with parking on the north and south side of the street
• 15 Avenue is one lane for eastbound traffic with parking on the north and south side of the street
• All walking connections in the Beltline community remain in place

If the actual detour is only three or four blocks, why does 14-15 Avenues need to be one-way between Macleod Tr. and 14 Street S.W.?

The main reason is consistency and predictability make the street safer. The full road closure on 17 avenue S. will continually move west over the three-four years and fluctuate between two to four blocks long.
Continually switching 14-15 Avenues to and from two-way to one-way numerous times over the year, means an unpredictable street that is constantly changing how people travel on it. This uncertainty and inconsistency leads to an unsafe environment.
It’s better to make the Avenues one-way for the duration of the project so people can get used to the new way to travel on 14-15 Avenue.
The City is currently looking at whether or not multi-modal solutions can be implemented on these streets to accommodate pedestrian and cycling traffic temporarily, while this conversion is in place.

Why does this change need to happen for three to four years?

After extensive conversations with the business community on 17 Avenue, we developed a three to four year construction schedule. This schedule means fewer road closures, fewer construction zones and more on-street parking open on 17 Avenue S. during the summer construction months. It’s a more balanced approach to rebuilding 17 Avenue S. than the original two-year construction schedule.
Converting the street to one-way traffic for the duration of construction results in a detour plan that’s safe, predictable, consistent and accessible, regardless of how you travel to and from the area.

Can we use traffic calming on 14-15 Avenues S.?

The existing stop signs and parking on both sides of 14 and 15 Avenues will stay in place. The stop signs and on-street parking are all traffic calming measures, which will encourage people to drive back onto 17 Avenue S, once they’ve bypassed the construction zone. We only anticipate people will use the 14 and 15 Avenues for up to four blocks at a time where construction is happening on 17 Avenue S.

Both Avenues are great streets for cycling and walking. Will this change?

Maintaining accessibility for all modes of travel is a priority. The City is currently looking into different temporary solutions to make this detour work, not just for transit and motorists, but pedestrians and cyclists as well.

Why didn’t The City consult with the community more?

The City evaluated a number of different options, both farther north and south of 17 Avenue S, through planning construction. Based on the limitations (even narrower streets and fewer through-streets) and impracticalities (11-12 Avenue S. is too far away for Transit), we chose the option that we believe balances the needs of people who live, work, visit and travel in the area.

1 Street S.W. improvements begin

Construction has begun on a project to improve the streetscape for pedestrians and transit users on 1 Street S.W. between 10 Avenue and 17 Avenue.

The improvements will include wider sidewalks, prominent crosswalks, upgraded LED pedestrian and street lighting, new tree plantings, additional bike racks, increased number of on-street parking spaces and a centre median with banner pageantry program.

“The improvements build on the existing character of the blocks located between 12 and 14 Avenues, extending the streetscape design along the full length of the corridor,” said Graham Gerylo, Urban Strategy project manager with the City of Calgary. “This work will create a safer, more comfortable and inviting environment for the thousands of pedestrians and transit riders that travel along this corridor each day.”

Construction will take place in stages and is being coordinated in a way that best minimizes impacts to businesses, residents, pedestrians and motorists. The first stage of work includes utility crossings along the entire corridor, followed by the improvements along the east side of 1 Street between 10 and 12 Avenues.

As part of the construction, sidewalks will be demolished, and crews will excavate trenches to run electrical conduit to power the new streetlight poles and dig holes for new tree plantings. This work will require the sidewalk and adjacent lane to be closed. The closed lane will be used as a pedestrian detour, where temporary ramps will be installed to provide access to every building entrance.

Some construction activities will require excavation within the roadway and will require full or partial lane closures. When possible, this work will be scheduled during off-peak hours or over weekends. If full-lanes are closed, temporary traffic detours will be set up.

For more details on the project, visit www.calgary.ca/1stcorridor.

Green Line LRT evaluates two additional alignment options for Beltline segment

Evaluation of the Beltline alignment options for the future Green Line LRT is underway, and Administration is now considering two additional alignment options to connect the Beltline and Victoria Park to the future Inglewood/Ramsay station.

We’ve included some quick facts about this update below, but you can find more information about each of the options in our Green Line LRT: Beltline Segment Update.

Quick Facts

• On April 11, 2017, City Council approved Administration’s recommendation for the Green Line to be underground in the Beltline from 2 Street S.W. to MacLeod Trail S.E. 
• Administration has not yet determined how the Green Line will connect from MacLeod Trail S.E. to the Inglewood/Ramsay station
• Administration is still exploring the MacDonald Avenue S.E. option (MacDonald Ave option) as well as the option that skirts to the north of the Victoria Park Transit Centre (also known as the bus barns or VPTC)
• Administration is now also exploring two additional alignment options: 
• Transition to 10 Avenue S Option: this would see the line jog north from the Centre Street station on 12 Avenue S to 10 Avenue S, where it would run parallel to the south side of the CP tracks until it reaches the Inglewood/Ramsay station

Transition to 10 Avenue S Option

• Staged Option: this would allow the Green Line to skirt the Transit Centre until the Centre is re-located, at which time the Green Line tracks would be re-aligned and a station would be built on the former Transit Centre lands

Staged Option

• Cost estimates, including potential land/property costs, for all four options need to be fully understood before Administration can make a recommendation. A targeted cost range for the Beltline to Inglewood/Ramsay segment has been established, and Administration needs to further quantify the capital costs and value to Calgarians of each option. 
• Administration will continue to explore these four options, which will include technical analysis and conversations with stakeholders and the communities
• Administration intends to take an official recommendation to City Council in June 2017. If further analysis is required for these options, recommendation timelines for this portion of the Green Line alignment can be modified
• City Council is ultimately responsible for approving the alignment 

What Happens Now?

Property owners who may be impacted by either of the new options will receive a letter from The City shortly.

Join us at one of two public drop-in sessions to learn more about the options and to discuss the opportunities and impacts of each:

Thursday, May 4 between 4:00 to 8:00 pm
Alexandra Dancehall – 922 9 Ave SE 

Saturday, May 6 between 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
The Commons - 1206 20 Ave SE

Learn more about each of the options and how Administration will make a recommendation.

"Complete Streets" improvements coming to Northmount Drive, Bowness Road and East Central this summer

Since 2015, The City has been working with communities to develop complete street improvement plans for several roads, including Northmount Drive N.W. and Bowness Road N.W. As part of a regular maintenance program, both roads are slated for repaving so The City used the opportunity to work with citizens and reconfigure the road space.

The City is also implementing a complete street project in the East Central area of the city, which include both pedestrian and bicycle enhancements.

Complete Streets is an approach to street design that strives to accommodate all modes of transportation including walking, cycling, transit and driving. 

Northmount Drive N.W.

Through engagement with the community and stakeholders The City updated the design to better reflect the concerns that were heard about the corridor. With increased scope and costs for the updated design, The City will phase construction on Northmount Drive N.W., starting this year with Phase 1 at the 14 Street N.W. intersection.

Phase 1, from Cambrian Drive N.W. to Carol Drive N.W., will consist of safety and operational improvements at the intersection. This will include adding a transit queue jump, a lengthened left-turn lane from westbound Northmount Drive N.W. to southbound 14 Street N.W. and a bicycle connection through the busy intersection. The intersection will also be re-paved to improve the surface quality of the roadway.

Construction is being coordinated with other City departments (Calgary Transit and Roads) to save costs and minimize impact to the community. The remainder of the corridor will be constructed as funding becomes available. Final plans and construction information will be posted on the project webpage this summer.

Bowness Road N.W.

Construction on the Bowness Road N.W. Phase 2 Complete Street project is an extension of the first phase of the Bowness Road Complete Street upgrade (from 70 Street to 48 Avenue N.W.) This work is being done so people walking, cycling, taking transit and driving are able to safely and conveniently travel through the community.

The project includes curb extensions, pedestrian crossing islands, painted crosswalks and rectangular rapid flashing beacons along Bowness Road. Traffic calming improvements are also included on Bowwood Drive at 64 Street N.W. and 33 Avenue N.W.

The City will also be installing dedicated bike lanes from 69 Street N.W. to the Shouldice/John Hextall Bridges and making pathway improvements at the CP Rail underpass. The road will be re-paved and transit stop locations are also being upgraded to handle articulated buses.

Final plans and construction information will be posted on the project webpage this summer.

East Central Calgary

The City is also planning a bikeway network in East Central Calgary. Throughout the engagement process, the public helped The City identify where walking, cycling and traffic improvements could be made in the area. The resulting network includes two east-west routes and one north-south route, with safety improvements for people walking and cycling. The first phase of construction will begin this summer.

Phase 1 includes improvements for people cycling and walking on Marlborough Way N.E. / 40 Street S.E. (north-south route) and on 8 Avenue S.E. / 10 Avenue S.E. (east-west route). Final plans and construction information will be posted on the project webpage this summer.

Phase 2 will be constructed when funding becomes available, and will extend this network to several other roads in the area. This will include a second east-west connection from Barlow Trail N.E. to Madigan Drive N.E. as well as other improvements in the area.

Engagement

These projects engaged citizens on what the streets could look like, with the understanding that they would safely accommodate all travel modes. 

For Northmount Drive N.W., over 500 people attended the engagement events and over 1,000 in-person and online feedback forms were collected. 

For Bowness Road N.W., the project team worked closely with the Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ), held two stakeholder meetings, a walking tour and two public workshops. In total, 99 people attended engagement events and over 280 feedback forms were submitted. 

For East Central, nearly 60 people attended the engagement events and over 120 in-person and online feedback forms were collected. 

The What We Heard reports and online feedback summaries are available on the Northmount Drive N.W. Improvement Project, Bowness Road N.W. Complete Street Phase 2 and East Central Calgary project web pages. Detailed design is currently being completed for all projects.

Visit calgary.ca for ongoing updates. 

Green Line LRT Update – March Committees

What was discussed and what it means

The City of Calgary’s Green Line LRT team is continuing to explore potential routes in the Beltline and working towards finalizing the alignment on the north segment of the line. This month, we presented information updates to two City Council committees. Here is a breakdown of what was discussed and approved in these meetings.

SPC on Planning and Urban Development – March 8

Green Line TOD: The focus of this report was to provide an overview of the transit oriented development (TOD) planning activities undertaken so far. These activities will inform a future TOD Implementation Strategy. Members of the Council Committee asked questions around how the Green Line is approaching TOD differently than previous projects, and how our efforts relate to the other planned and existing TOD sites in Calgary. Read the meeting minutes or watch the recording here.

Update on Area Redevelopment Plans (ARP) – March 8

The Planning and Urban Development (PUD) committee approved a deferral of the Inglewood ARP, Ramsay ARP, Millican-Ogden ARP and South Hill Station Area Plans, to return to Council no later than Q4 2018. This deferral allows us time to learn more about the final alignment of the LRT, the Developed Areas Guidebook and the TOD Implementation Strategy. In June, we will be working with Community Associations in each of these areas to determine our next steps, together. Please stay tuned to our website and our newsletter for regular updates, and learn about opportunities for public participation.

SPC on Transportation and Transit – March 15

This quarterly presentation to Committee included an update on program progress, including an update of the alignment on the north segment, and an update on the evaluation of Beltline alignment options. Committee unanimously approved the recommendation to narrow the focus of work to the underground option for 12 Avenue S, between 2 Street S.W. and Macleod Trail S.E. Administration has not made a recommendation for the alignment connecting the Beltline with Inglewood/Ramsay Station, as more technical investigation and community engagement is required. Read the meeting minutes or watch the recording here.

Green Line in Ramsay

The City’s Green Line team has started working with the community of Ramsay to discuss the possible implications and opportunities of an alignment option on MacDonald Avenue S.E. We hosted a public meeting on Thursday, March 2, and continue to meet with property owners one-on-one. 

We heard many questions and comments from the community, and submitted that feedback as part of our report to SPC on Transportation and Transit on March 15. Those questions and comments have been compiled here (Click “open” if dialogue box appears). We don’t have all the answers to your questions yet, but you can see early responses to some of your frequently asked questions here (Click “open” if dialogue box appears). We will keep you informed and involved as we move through the evaluation of the MacDonald Avenue S.E. option. Stay tuned for details about upcoming engagement opportunities by subscribing to our community email list. 

Provide your input

There are currently online opportunities to provide your input on the north leg of the Green Line! Get involved at http://engage.calgary.ca/greenline/north . Stay informed on the overall project by visiting www.Calgary.ca/GreenLine

Green Line LRT project considers alternate route in Victoria Park and Ramsay

The Green Line LRT team has been evaluating alignment options in the Beltline since early last year. We began with more than a dozen options and, through several phases of evaluation, narrowed those options down to two: 12 Avenue S Surface, and 12 Avenue S Tunnel + Surface, shown in the graphics below.

12 Avenue S Surface

12 Avenue Tunnel + Surface

Over the course of our detailed evaluation, we’ve discovered significant technical and operational considerations for the alignment east of 4 St S.E. (the East Victoria Park area). As a result, we have been considering alternative options to connect the Green Line from the Beltline to the Ramsay/Inglewood area.

Considerations include:

• Victoria Park redevelopment -Canada Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) is currently developing its Rivers District Masterplan, which includes potential Calgary Next facilities and consideration of future Olympic infrastructure . The Green Line will be part of these discussions to ensure the LRT supports the future area transportation network to best serve Calgarians who travel by foot, bike, bus or car
• Travel times - The alignment to the north of the Victoria Park Transit Centre would result in slower travel times for Calgarians, and costly wear and tear on LRT vehicles due to very tight turns
• Existing transit operations - Operations of the Victoria Park Transit Centre would be significantly impeded by a Green Line alignment around the north side of the facility, impacting transit service reliability throughout the city
• Budget - The Green Line does not have the budget to re-locate the Victoria Park Transit Centre, so the team is exploring alignment options that do not require the relocation. The team has also explored a tunnel option through Beltline and under MacDonald Avenue SE. This option, while technically feasible, has been removed from consideration due to cost.

The City of Calgary’s Green Line team is now exploring the option of a street-level LRT on MacDonald Avenue SE to address the challenges created by the original 12 Avenue options. The MacDonald Avenue SE options are:

12 Avenue S Surface – MacDonald Ave

12 Avenue Tunnel + Surface – MacDonald Ave

The City will present these four alignment options to City Council’s Transportation and Transit Committee on March 15, 2017. After further evaluation, we intend to take a single recommended alignment to City Committee and Council later this spring.

We are committed to working with the communities to determine how the Green Line on MacDonald Avenue SE could best be integrated into the neighbourhood to create connections and build community spaces, if this option moves forward.

There are a number of opportunities to get involved:

• The City will continue to meet with the Ramsay community association and homeowners whose properties could be impacted
• Join us at a public meeting on March 2, 2017, at 6 p.m. at The Hemmingway Room of The Commons, 1206 20 Ave SE. This presentation will be a preview of the update the Green Line team will provide to City Committee on March 15, which will include:
• An overview of our evaluation and how we arrived at the MacDonald Avenue SE option
• An overview of the trade-offs of each option
• An outline of the next steps in the evaluation and decision process 

We will provide more opportunities for public and community involvement this spring. Watch Calgary.ca/GreenLine for more information about other upcoming opportunities to get involved.

Seeking input on the Southwest BRT Project

The City of Calgary is moving into the last phase of design for the Southwest BRT project, and we’re seeking stakeholder and public input. An online tool will collect input from Calgarians beginning February 22, and a facilitated session in March will gather feedback from representatives of area community associations, institutions and citizen groups.

The input collected online will be used at the March session to inform the workshop of the themes and comments provided by their fellow Calgarians. The in person sessions will have up to three representatives from stakeholder groups to ensure a balanced conversation about the topics The City is seeking input on. Calgarians and stakeholders will be asked to provide their input on:

• Pedestrian overpass at 90 Avenue S.W. 
• Construction staging and phasing 
• Station connections (including pedestrian overpass at 75 Avenue S.W.) 
• Parking 
• Landscaping 
• Noise attenuation 

Once we’ve heard from the Calgarians living and working near the future route, as well the Calgarians who may someday make use of the city’s BRT network, we will compile and analyze all feedback, which will help inform the final design for the Southwest BRT project. Calgarians input along with technical and engineering considerations will inform the final design for the SWBRT. The City will post a “What We Heard” report which will be made available online in April.

The City is committed to providing opportunities for Calgarians to provide input into the final design for the Southwest BRT, so sign up for the mailing list to get up to date information on the online engagement that begins on February 22.

The Southwest BRT is one of four BRT projects that fill important gaps in Calgary’s primary transit network and provide reliable, efficient transit to communities. Along with the Southwest BRT, The City is implementing the North and South Crosstown BRT and the 17 Avenue S.E. BRT to provide more transit options for Calgarians.

A look into the transformation of The City's Historic 8 Street S.W. underpass

The 8th Street underpass opened fully to the public today. We sat down with Ben Barrington, Centre City Implementation Program Manager, to learn about what citizens can expect from this important infrastructure investment.

Q: How does the new underpass increase pedestrian safety?

We've approached safety from a number of angles which we think citizens and local businesses will appreciate. Complementing new security cameras and call boxes, are design features that include improved lighting, new sidewalks, new stairs and an interactive art installation. These elements contribute to a safer, more enjoyable, experience. Our approach has transformed, what some folks previously thought, were just poorly lit "sidewalks" into a place that is that feels much bigger,  brighter, and more welcoming and  interesting, which  substantially enhances safety.

Q: How many people use this particular underpass?

Situated along the 8 Street S.W. Corridor, this underpass is one of the most used by Calgarians, averaging around 9000 pedestrians a day.

Q: What will be displayed on the public art installation?

Panels along the sides of the s-curve installation will scroll across the snippets and fragments of Calgary's past;  bits of old advertising, classified  ads from 100 years ago, personal  reminiscences on details of daily life. The installation will help present-day Calgarians understand a snapshot of the history of the underpasses and the role of the railway in shaping our city. As they enter the underpass it's as if they are experiencing the past.

 An interesting aspect of this artwork is that pedestrians will have opportunity to interact with the scrolling texts using their smartphones. This feature won’t be functional until late January. By sending keywords to the controlling computer, passers-by can influence the content of the script by finding story from the data base. For example, sending the keyword "oyster" might dig up advertising copy for fresh oysters that were regularly brought to Calgary daily by rail in the 1910s.

Q: Will other underpasses be getting similar treatment?

Yes, in Centre City we've been investing in our Corridor program, and underpass improvements are the first phase of these improvements. This is the third underpass improvement project, having recently completed 5 Street S.W. and 1 Street S.W.,  and in 2017 will start construction on the 4 Street S.W. underpass. Planning for the remaining underpasses will start in the next two years.

For more information, visit www.calgary.ca/8stunderpass.

Safety on the roads a shared responsibility this season

After an unusually warm and dry fall season, it’s finally starting to look like winter in Calgary. With snow on the ground and colder temperatures in the forecast, The City is reminding Calgarians to be prepared for winter driving conditions.

“The accumulation of snow and ice on the roads can impact traction. This winter, take a bit more time to get where you’re going so that you can get there safely,” says Roads Maintenance Manager Bill Biensch.

Crews are out there working hard to maintain our streets, but we need your help. Here are a few ways you can help keep everyone moving safely this winter:

• Move your vehicle from designated snow routes during a snow route parking ban.
• Winterize your vehicle and consider installing snow tires.
• Clean snow and ice off your vehicle and ensure your headlights and windows are clear.
• Leave extra distance between you and vehicles in front of you, including equipment such as sanders and graders.
• Give yourself extra time to reach your destination.
• Remove snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of your home within 24 hours after the snow stops falling. 

When planning your commute this winter, make sure to stay informed about weather, road conditions, and traffic flow, too.

Follow @yyctransport on Twitter for frequent snow clearing updates, road closures, and incident alerts. If you have questions about road conditions, traffic or other road projects, we’ll find you the answers.

Visit Calgary.ca/snow, a one-stop-shop for all things related to snow and ice control. Find out if a snow route parking ban is in effect, see a map of pathways that are cleared of snow, and learn about the Seven Day Snow Plan.

The new map at Calgary.ca/roadconditions shows traffic camera images and plow progress across the city to help you keep moving safely and efficiently.

Take advantage of calgarytransit.com to sign up for email alerts, teletext, teleride, and download the mobile app. Follow @calgarytransit on Twitter frequent services updates and answers to any of your transit questions.

Although there may be a few more months of cold weather ahead, we can work together to keep all Calgarians on the move safely this winter.

Cycle track pilot project summary

The Council-approved 18 month Cycle Track Network Pilot Project will end in December. The final report and recommendations from Administration will be presented to the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation and Transit on December 8, 2016 and then to Council on December 19, 2016. At these meetings, Council will determine the future of the network.

The public can attend and speak at the December 8 meeting or submit a letter with their comments about the pilot. The December 8 meeting will be held in Council Chambers and will begin at 9:30 a.m. People interested in submitting a letter or presenting at Committee can find out how to do so online.

Results
The cycle tracks give Calgarians a safer and more predictable way to travel by bike to downtown destinations. Over the past 18 months, the project team collected data on 82 performance measures while monitoring the operation and safety for all road users. Many of the performance targets were met and a report summarizing the results is available online. Here are a few highlights:

The primary performance measures for the pilot were:

• Percentage of people cycling, walking and driving satisfied with the pilot (evaluated using a random phone survey)
• Safety (evaluated using number of collisions)
• Bicycle volumes (evaluated using automated counters and manual data collection)
• Travel time for cars during the peak periods (evaluated using GPS and stopwatch trials)
• Incidents of unlawful bicycle riding (evaluated using manual observation)

We found the following results for each of these metrics:

Satisfaction
A third-party telephone survey was conducted city-wide in September 2016 to track awareness, understanding, attitude and support for the project.

• 46% - 54% of people ‘liked’ their most recent driving experience on the routes (51% - 60% in 2014) 
• 65% - 82% of people ‘liked’ their most recent cycling experience on the routes (12% - 71% in 2014)

The survey also found that 67% of people support the cycle track pilot and 68% support the Stephen Avenue bicycle pilot. The same survey was conducted in 2014 and 2015, and support remained consistent.

Safety
Safety along the network was closely monitored during the pilot period. Collision information was collected by Calgary Police Service, and during one year of the pilot (June 18, 2015 - June 18, 2016) there were 39 reported collisions between a bike and car and zero fatalities along cycle track corridors.

We reviewed locations where an incident occurred and put in dashed green paint, changed parking or added signs to raise awareness of potential conflicts at these locations.

Bicycle volumes
We have been using automated counters to count the number of bike trips taken each day since the network opened. To date, there have been 1.2 million bicycle trips since June 2015, based on the data at the three middle count locations. Ridership has tripled along the network, and the number of women and children riding has also increased.

Travel times
We anticipated travel time for drivers would increase on the roads with cycle tracks, since typically we had to remove a driving or parking lane to create the bikeway. The Transportation Department recorded travel time for drivers travelling from one end of each cycle track to the other for each route, during the morning and evening rush hours. They found that the longest delay was 90 seconds, on 12th Avenue from 11 Street S.W. to 4 Street S.E. during the morning drive.

Incidents of unlawful bicycle riding
Overall, unlawful sidewalk riding has decreased from an average of 16% (before the cycle tracks) to 2% after the cycle tracks. There were no observed instances of careless riding or near misses on Stephen Avenue during the time the data was collected.

You can learn more at our presentation to Committee on Thursday or visit calgary.ca/cycletracks.

Calgary’s Southwest Ring Road: connecting people and communities

With work beginning in the 1950s to determine its location, followed by 60 years of planning and design, we’re now only months away from crews breaking ground on Calgary’s Southwest Ring Road (SWCRR). For the next five years, the Government of Alberta’s recently hired contractor Mountain View Partners, with its subcontractor KGL Constructors, will work to complete the new 21 kilometre highway. Travelling between Highway 8 and Macleod Trail S.E., the SWCRR makes our city’s road network better.

Westhills Way, behind the Westhills shopping area, opening 2020.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this missing piece in our road network and we’re excited to see it move forward”, says Julie Radke, Manager of ring road integration. “But we have a lot of work to do to make sure this piece of ring road fits with our existing roads.”

The City of Calgary’s to-do list includes four new road connections at Westhills Way, 90 Avenue S.W., Southland Drive, and 162 Avenue S.W. The City is also improving four existing roads:

• Widening Glenmore Trail, between 37 Street S.W. and Crowchild Trail
• Modifying Crowchild/Glenmore Trail interchange
• Widening Anderson Road, west of 24 Street S.W. to Elbow Drive
• Widening Spruce Meadows Way, between the SW Ring Road and 194 Avenue S.W.

“We’ve already completed the new Westhills Way connection and we’re on schedule to begin work on four other road projects in 2017”, explains Radke. “We’ll finish our work one or two years before the ring road opens, but that means there’s no doubt they’ll connect and be ready on opening day.”

When completed, The SWCRR will connect to major highways and the existing Stoney Trail, improving the road network for reliable goods movement, more options for traveling around the city, and shortened travel times for people driving between communities and popular destinations in and outside Calgary. It’s a big part of Council’s priority, A City that Moves.

More information on the SWCRR:

Public information sessions
Tuesday, Nov. 29, 5-8 p.m. at Calgary First Church of the Nazarene - 65 Richard Way S.W.
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6-9 p.m. at Bishop O’Byrne High School - 333 Shawville Boulevard S.E.

Constructing the Ring Road: final design, schedule and traffic detours
Web page: SWCRRproject.com
Email: info@SWCRRproject.com

Constructing Calgary’s connections and road improvements:
Web page: Calgary.ca/swrr
Email: yyc-rr@newsletters.calgary.ca

History and location of the ring road (interchanges, bridges and roads):
Web page: sw-crr.ca
Email: email@sw-crr.ca