PDA

View Full Version : Calgary Roads


Pages : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 [30] 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

5seconds
May 17, 2012, 3:54 PM
I know this is a little crazy, but I figure if the city is willing to spend the money on the Glenmore/37th interchange, then why not think about the Glenmore/Sarcee one too? (Just a little mental exercise)

I wanted a solution that only required 1 bridge, (like the recycled one they used on the G/37 project) and this is all I could come up with:

http://i.imgur.com/krkLo.jpg

So WB Glenmore to NB Sarcee is a bypass as mentioned on the last page. The SB Sarcee to WB Highway 8 works as it does now, as a merge.

The SB Sarcee to EB Glenmore is over the bridge, the WB Glenmore to WB Highway 8 lanes are under the bridge.

The strangest movement is the WB Highway 8 to NB Sarcee. Since I wanted as little infrastructure as possible, I though that the lane could head north over the bridge (barrier between the lanes, as the flow of the lanes is reversed to what you would normally expect) and then looping under the bridge to join with Sarcee.

I realise this is probably not a great idea, and that it is based on doing it as cheaply as possible, but there you go, just a thought!

eggbert
May 17, 2012, 4:01 PM
Brilliant! The city should take a look at that. As far as the strange movement you mentioned for WB Highway 8 to NB Sarcee, I don't think that's too big of a deal. I'd bet that's the lightest traffic flow of any of the connections and a single lane would work just fine. Maybe the city could build this similar to Glenmore and 37th Street and take down the bridge once Stoney finally happens?

Bigtime
May 17, 2012, 4:12 PM
That plan makes a lot of sense to me!

Calgarian
May 17, 2012, 4:45 PM
Yeah the one ways downtown people clip along pretty fast. I always go slow because of the cool scenery! Are they ever going to lower the speed to 40 in the dense urban areas?

I hope not, I'm usually going 65-70 on the one ways downtown.

Cruzer
May 17, 2012, 4:55 PM
Impressive 5seconds! Unorthodox, but that option makes the most sense and seems very achievable! I'd gladly take it over whats there/already proposed.

5seconds
May 23, 2012, 1:33 AM
This was the city's rough plan for that interchange in 2002, as an alternative to a Tsuu T'ina ring road (assuming a ring road via 37th street):

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/jessesalus/2002-glenmore-sarcee.jpg

The Chemist
May 23, 2012, 1:50 AM
I know this is a little crazy, but I figure if the city is willing to spend the money on the Glenmore/37th interchange, then why not think about the Glenmore/Sarcee one too? (Just a little mental exercise)

I wanted a solution that only required 1 bridge, (like the recycled one they used on the G/37 project) and this is all I could come up with:

http://i.imgur.com/krkLo.jpg

So WB Glenmore to NB Sarcee is a bypass as mentioned on the last page. The SB Sarcee to WB Highway 8 works as it does now, as a merge.

The SB Sarcee to EB Glenmore is over the bridge, the WB Glenmore to WB Highway 8 lanes are under the bridge.

The strangest movement is the WB Highway 8 to NB Sarcee. Since I wanted as little infrastructure as possible, I though that the lane could head north over the bridge (barrier between the lanes, as the flow of the lanes is reversed to what you would normally expect) and then looping under the bridge to join with Sarcee.

I realise this is probably not a great idea, and that it is based on doing it as cheaply as possible, but there you go, just a thought!

Not bad. The only problem I see with that is that it's a merge from the left going from Highway 8 to NB Sarcee, but that's not a very busy movement so it should be okay.

5seconds
May 23, 2012, 3:12 AM
Not bad. The only problem I see with that is that it's a merge from the left going from Highway 8 to NB Sarcee, but that's not a very busy movement so it should be okay.

Thanks! If the EB Glenmore to NB Sarcee was a single lane, then it could join with no merge, or if they did 2 lanes, they could run 3 lanes until Richmond road, before one of them became a turning lane. (Not sure about the volumes on either of those movements and if a single lane is appropriate, but I think it could work.)

Jimby
Jun 7, 2012, 6:01 PM
Avoid Elbow Dr for the next few months, unless you like being trapped in one lane of solid traffic that is not moving forward.
Apparently all the previous improvements were just cosmetic, so now they are digging everything up to re-build the road bed.
Probably after they get this work finished they will realize they have to dig it all up to re-do the utilities under the new road bed or something else incomprehensible to me!
I think this is all a devious plot by the Elbow Park Community Association to keep the riff-raff out.

Jimby
Jun 7, 2012, 7:28 PM
Heritage Dr. is closed under Glenmore Trail as the Bow river has spilled its banks and flooded like it does there every June.

lubicon
Jun 7, 2012, 7:36 PM
Heritage Dr. is closed under Glenmore Trail as the Bow river has spilled its banks and flooded like it does there every June.

I just got caught up in that mess trying to get from NB Deerfoot onto WB Glenmore. No signage whatsover until you got to Heritage Drive and the road was blocked off. :hell: The City might want to put up some signage to give some advance notice.

Calgarian
Jun 7, 2012, 7:53 PM
Avoid Elbow Dr for the next few months, unless you like being trapped in one lane of solid traffic that is not moving forward.
Apparently all the previous improvements were just cosmetic, so now they are digging everything up to re-build the road bed.
Probably after they get this work finished they will realize they have to dig it all up to re-do the utilities under the new road bed or something else incomprehensible to me!
I think this is all a devious plot by the Elbow Park Community Association to keep the riff-raff out.

They are ripping all that up again? who the hell is in charge of infrastructure / utility upgrades in this damn city? why go through all the trouble of renovating shit if they are going to rip it all up again the next year. :hell:

Full Mountain
Jun 7, 2012, 8:03 PM
They are ripping all that up again? who the hell is in charge of infrastructure / utility upgrades in this damn city? why go through all the trouble of renovating shit if they are going to rip it all up again the next year. :hell:

This seems to be a favourite activity for the utilities department, they've done that exact thing on 11th for a few years now, dig, pave, wait, dig, pave.......

Jimby
Jun 7, 2012, 8:10 PM
:previous: and they are "victims" of budget cycles manipulated for political whim or gain.

You Need A Thneed
Jun 7, 2012, 8:11 PM
They are ripping all that up again? who the hell is in charge of infrastructure / utility upgrades in this damn city? why go through all the trouble of renovating shit if they are going to rip it all up again the next year. :hell:

I'm not totally familiar with the project, so this is just a guess, but I'm guessing that this was always how the project was going to work. Usually for these road projects, they have to rebuild all of the curbs, regrade, etc, patching the asphalt as they go, and then when all of that is done, they do all of the roadbed/final asphalt in one go. It's the only way to do it properly.

That's not to say that there hasn't been frustrating road work that has been redone too many times. What is really frustrating is when they have just finished putting a final topping of asphalt on and then it gets ripped up for utilities a couple of weeks later. However, most of the time, when I hear of people compaining about paving/roadwork being redone, there is nothing actually being redone.

freeweed
Jun 7, 2012, 8:15 PM
I think this is all a devious plot by the Elbow Park Community Association to keep the riff-raff out.

Sounds to me like 40 wasn't slow enough. Maybe 0 is the ultimate NIMBY speed!

Jimby
Jun 7, 2012, 8:18 PM
Sounds to me like 40 wasn't slow enough. Maybe 0 is the ultimate NIMBY speed!

I wish I could "like" comments on this forum without having to actually type several words to say that I liked the comment!

Calgarian
Jun 7, 2012, 8:33 PM
This seems to be a favourite activity for the utilities department, they've done that exact thing on 11th for a few years now, dig, pave, wait, dig, pave.......

I walk down 11th ave to get to work every day, I know all about that crap.

Calgarian
Jun 7, 2012, 8:34 PM
I wish I could "like" comments on this forum without having to actually type several words to say that I liked the comment!

That would save frinkprof a lot of stress. lol

Calgarian
Jun 7, 2012, 8:35 PM
I'm not totally familiar with the project, so this is just a guess, but I'm guessing that this was always how the project was going to work. Usually for these road projects, they have to rebuild all of the curbs, regrade, etc, patching the asphalt as they go, and then when all of that is done, they do all of the roadbed/final asphalt in one go. It's the only way to do it properly.

That's not to say that there hasn't been frustrating road work that has been redone too many times. What is really frustrating is when they have just finished putting a final topping of asphalt on and then it gets ripped up for utilities a couple of weeks later. However, most of the time, when I hear of people compaining about paving/roadwork being redone, there is nothing actually being redone.

I don't get why they can't do it all in one go. Why spend 3 years ripping it all up and re-paving the whole road to come back again the next year and rip it all up again, seems horribly inefficient.

DizzyEdge
Jun 7, 2012, 8:42 PM
I wish I could "like" comments on this forum without having to actually type several words to say that I liked the comment!

http://www.practicalecommerce.com/uploads/thumbs/0001/2438/Facebook_Like_thumbs_up.png

mersar
Jun 7, 2012, 8:43 PM
They are ripping all that up again? who the hell is in charge of infrastructure / utility upgrades in this damn city? why go through all the trouble of renovating shit if they are going to rip it all up again the next year. :hell:

Just to clarify, this years work is north of Sifton, they aren't ripping up all the work they did south of the river over the past 2 years. Though they are ripping up along the fairly recently built sidewalks along the river (which are more then 3 years old but not much). At least ATCO decided to do their upgrades in this area before the city starts tearing it up this time.

5seconds
Jun 7, 2012, 8:46 PM
There is a lot of storm sewer replacement work going on right now on Crowchild in Lakeview. Luckily whoever coordinates this stuff is getting the new bike lane changes (south of 66th ave) implemented at the same time as they put the road back, so that's something, I guess.

You Need A Thneed
Jun 7, 2012, 9:09 PM
I don't get why they can't do it all in one go. Why spend 3 years ripping it all up and re-paving the whole road to come back again the next year and rip it all up again, seems horribly inefficient.

Because if they did it all right away, they would most likely have to redo it in a few years anyway. If you completely shut down a road, rebuilt it all at once, then you might be able to avoid it - other than putting a finish coat of asphalt on a few years later. However, when they have to keep roads open, that means that they have to do work in little pieces, which means that different sections will be compacted to slightly different levels, and will settle differently. The only solution then is to redo it all once all of the other stuff is complete (and then still put on the final layer of asphalt a couple of years later).

The roadway on top of the new LRT tunnel under 64th Ave for the new LRT extension has now been redone 4 times, at least. The ground just keeps settling. Immediately on top of the tunnel, the depth of backfill is quite little, but the depth of backfill just beside the tunnel is the depth of the whole tunnel. I know they have filled the holes a couple of times, and also have taken everything out down to a metre or two below the top and then redone it a couple of times too. The final asphalt layer won't go on until it stops settling.

Either way, it's the contractors spending the money. If it were cheaper to do it all at once, I'm sure they would do it that way.

Calgarian
Jun 7, 2012, 9:19 PM
Because if they did it all right away, they would most likely have to redo it in a few years anyway. If you completely shut down a road, rebuilt it all at once, then you might be able to avoid it - other than putting a finish coat of asphalt on a few years later. However, when they have to keep roads open, that means that they have to do work in little pieces, which means that different sections will be compacted to slightly different levels, and will settle differently. The only solution then is to redo it all once all of the other stuff is complete (and then still put on the final layer of asphalt a couple of years later).

The roadway on top of the new LRT tunnel under 64th Ave for the new LRT extension has now been redone 4 times, at least. The ground just keeps settling. Immediately on top of the tunnel, the depth of backfill is quite little, but the depth of backfill just beside the tunnel is the depth of the whole tunnel. I know they have filled the holes a couple of times, and also have taken everything out down to a metre or two below the top and then redone it a couple of times too. The final asphalt layer won't go on until it stops settling.

Either way, it's the contractors spending the money. If it were cheaper to do it all at once, I'm sure they would do it that way.

That makes sense, thanks for the clarification. I was under the impression they were doing the part between 45th and Sifton again, glad to hear they are continuing with what they already did, not re-doing it. It's just a pain in the ass having Elbow as a construction site year after year, but I do see the necessity.

You Need A Thneed
Jun 7, 2012, 10:28 PM
June Airport Trail tunnel update. (http://goo.gl/P8rJr)

tmjr
Jun 7, 2012, 11:04 PM
June Airport Trail tunnel update. (http://goo.gl/P8rJr)

Why would some of the sections between poured sections be left unpoured at this stage (specifically, sections 16, 18 36)?

Calgarian
Jun 7, 2012, 11:06 PM
Why would some of the sections between poured sections be left unpoured at this stage (specifically, sections 16, 18 36)?

My guess would be that they require something special (vent or access shaft perhaps) that they don't want to or can't use a typical form for.

You Need A Thneed
Jun 7, 2012, 11:16 PM
Why would some of the sections between poured sections be left unpoured at this stage (specifically, sections 16, 18 36)?

It's a pattern that has been happening the whole time, and it is so that they can have four crews working on sections at the same time, and still have repeatable forming rigs. Two crews - one on each side - working on the leading section, and another crew on each side to fill in the gaps. If you formed them side by side (together) instead, the forms for one would get in the way of the other one, and one might be delayed while waiting for the other one to finish. Doing sections twice as wide instead would probably mean that the concrete pours would be too big for one day of pouring.

I wondered the same thing when I first saw that pattern. But it makes a lot of sense.

tmjr
Jun 8, 2012, 4:54 AM
I wondered the same thing when I first saw that pattern. But it makes a lot of sense.

Thanks for explaining - that does makes sense!

Calgarian
Jun 8, 2012, 1:18 PM
Yeah that makes way more sense that what I was speculating...

Bigtime
Jun 8, 2012, 1:56 PM
June Airport Trail tunnel update. (http://goo.gl/P8rJr)

You know you spend too much time on the internet when you can see a dong in one of those aerial pictures... :haha:

Mazrim
Jun 8, 2012, 6:13 PM
I just got caught up in that mess trying to get from NB Deerfoot onto WB Glenmore. No signage whatsover until you got to Heritage Drive and the road was blocked off. :hell: The City might want to put up some signage to give some advance notice.
They closed it at 1PM. I imagine it took them some time to set up signage for detours. You just happened to be there shortly after they closed it. Hard to give advance notice for something that changed quickly.

lubicon
Jun 8, 2012, 6:38 PM
They closed it at 1PM. I imagine it took them some time to set up signage for detours. You just happened to be there shortly after they closed it. Hard to give advance notice for something that changed quickly.

Good point. It was about 1:15 that I came through so obviously very soon after the road was closed. However by that time traffic was backed up almost all the way to Deerfoot.

DoubleK
Jun 9, 2012, 2:48 AM
Made the horrific mistake of trying to tour around Stoney Trail on my way home from work.

When did they close 84th ST SW to 22x?

You Need A Thneed
Jun 9, 2012, 3:44 AM
Made the horrific mistake of trying to tour around Stoney Trail on my way home from work.

When did they close 84th ST SW to 22x?

About a month ago. The detour is pretty simple. 104st and 146 ave back to 84th.

5seconds
Jun 12, 2012, 7:06 PM
City of Calgary is about ready to show off preliminary concepts for McLeod Trail, 25th ave to Anderson.

http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Pages/Projects/Current-Planning-Projects/Macleod-Trail-Corridor-Study.aspx?redirect=/macleod

Open Houses:

• June 14, 2012 at Chinook Centre – Centre Court (6455 Macleod Trail S.W.), 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• June 19, 2012 at Southcentre Mall – Centre Court (100 Anderson Road S.E.), 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

eggbert
Jun 21, 2012, 4:20 AM
Calgary city council mulls Metis Trail makeover
CBC News Posted: Jun 20, 2012 9:31 PM MT Last Updated: Jun 20, 2012 9:29 PM MT

Calgary city council is debating whether to add traffic lights to Metis Trail in order to save some cash down the road.

Metis Trail is currently designated as a skeletal road, meaning, like Glenmore Trail, it has interchanges and few traffic lights to move heavy volumes of traffic.

Aldermen were asked Wednesday to drop Metis to an arterial in a move that would save $250 million in future interchanges.

It would also would mean more traffic lights on the road that ferries thousands of transport trucks around the Calgary airport.

Alderman Jim Stevenson said he believes adding lights to Metis Trail would be a big mistake.

Read More:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2012/06/20/calgary-metis-trail-traffic.html?cmp=rss

Ferreth
Jul 29, 2012, 11:17 PM
Yesterday I encountered a Google Streetview car for the second time in a week. I was going down Deerfoot NB onto Airport Trail with him following me from the merge of 64th NB onto Deerfoot. Judging by the bare cameras, he likely was photographing at the time. The cars are bright green and yellow - easy to spot now.

While I think it's about the right time to do a Streetview update in Calgary, the satellite view is in dire need of an update, it's older than the first Streetview at this point.

Mazrim
Jul 30, 2012, 6:48 PM
The City of Calgary has some great quality aerial photography from late 2011 they should send off to Google. I don't know if that's how they get their imagery though.

CalgaryLankan
Aug 10, 2012, 3:52 PM
Jim Stevenson Ward 3 Alderman mentions in the Northern Hills Community Association (NHCA) latest newsletter that 96th Avenue NE /Deerfoot/Airport Trail connecter will be open in September. This is a great news, but it looks like lot more finishing work to complete in a short time if they are to open it in September.

crane_guy
Aug 14, 2012, 6:11 AM
can anyone explain to me why there always seems to be trains running between 7 and 8 am and 3 to 4 pm ?

ByeByeBaby
Aug 14, 2012, 6:49 AM
can anyone explain to me why there always seems to be trains running between 7 and 8 am and 3 to 4 pm ?

Confirmation bias (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias), mostly.

You Need A Thneed
Aug 14, 2012, 1:03 PM
Because trains have places to go?

Cage
Aug 14, 2012, 8:23 PM
can anyone explain to me why there always seems to be trains running between 7 and 8 am and 3 to 4 pm ?

IIRC base operating plan did have a train scheduled to go through Calgary at those times. I do remember the 3-4pm train (actually the train was pretty much always 4-4:10pm) as it would shake GCS as it went by, I always thought this was a tip of the hat from the engineer to rail control.

srperrycgy
Aug 15, 2012, 1:19 AM
This vid was making the rounds on Twitter this afternoon after the storm blew in. This sign gantry on SB Deerfoot before 32nd Ave. became dangerous as a result of the winds.

rbtoeiP6Jwo

artvandelay
Aug 15, 2012, 2:00 AM
That sign is just grooving to some bangin' Bhangra beats!

5seconds
Aug 15, 2012, 4:06 AM
Does anyone know what the earthworks is on the west side of Crowchild Trail, between Bow Trail and 17th avenue, in that dog park? Just curious. It looked like a storage place for excess soil from some project (Westbrook LRT?) but now it looks packed down, maybe permanent?

mersar
Aug 15, 2012, 7:24 AM
Does anyone know what the earthworks is on the west side of Crowchild Trail, between Bow Trail and 17th avenue, in that dog park? Just curious. It looked like a storage place for excess soil from some project (Westbrook LRT?) but now it looks packed down, maybe permanent?

City is doing some improvements to the park there. Sound berm is a part of it.

5seconds
Aug 15, 2012, 2:25 PM
City is doing some improvements to the park there. Sound berm is a part of it.

Interesting, thanks! I wonder how effective a sound berm is there when the surrounding houses are so high.

mersar
Aug 15, 2012, 3:27 PM
I think the berm is more for the benefit of park users than the houses.

5seconds
Aug 15, 2012, 4:05 PM
Makes sense, thanks.

Innersoul1
Aug 15, 2012, 5:47 PM
Interesting, thanks! I wonder how effective a sound berm is there when the surrounding houses are so high.

I drove by yesterday and noticed that for the first time. My thoughts are the same as yours!!

I imagine when the whole bow/crow interchange is re-done that park will get nicely torn up!

kw5150
Aug 15, 2012, 5:52 PM
This was funded by the community. They have been raising funds for YEARS. There will be sound wall on top of the berm. The height was calculated with sections showing the houses and cars. The plan is to deflect some of the noise, not all. The wheelchair access ramp will also be re-done (I think) as it is no where near meeting the barrier-free standards. This project has been ongoing for 7 years when the preliminary plans were sketched. The project was then taken over by another entity so hopefully it all turns out ok.

I drove by yesterday and noticed that for the first time. My thoughts are the same as yours!!

I imagine when the whole bow/crow interchange is re-done that park will get nicely torn up!

crane_guy
Aug 16, 2012, 12:31 AM
edit

crane_guy
Aug 16, 2012, 12:48 AM
..

andasen
Aug 16, 2012, 1:42 AM
i have been stuck many times in "rush hour" as a train crosses Glenmore trail, Barlow trail, ect. is it really necessary for trains to operate at these times ?
As an example are they running at 8 am because they are restricted to run before 8 am? noise bylaw? or is done to arrive at the destination at a certain time ? maybe simply because the shift starts at 7 am ?
i know trains don't only depart and arrive at rush hour, Since we don't want to build bridges over railway tracks on major routes, why cant they be restricted for a few hours at high traffic times ?
do commercial trucks have any similar restrictions ?

Unfortunately the city has very little say in when trains can run at glenmore crossing as it is on the mainline. Rail is federally regulated so the best the city can do if it can't afford to build overpasses is say pretty pretty please. For Barlow the same is true its just that CP/CN (can't remember whose line it is right there) would actually take a moment to listen to the city's pleading rather than the mainline where we would be laughed out of the room nice and quick. Besides we need to build Karma with one of them in order to maybe, perhaps be able to convince I believe CP to allow up to use their track for a commuter system some time in the future.

MalcolmTucker
Aug 16, 2012, 3:07 AM
Restricting movement for a couple hours is a huge cost to the railways through Calgary, especially if we are talking about the CP mainline. It is at close to maximum capacity (they recently or are currently spending millions on a debottlenecking project to add capacity for three more trains a day) so if the city had the power it would really hurt the railway.

It may seem annoying at time, but there is a reason railways have the powers they do.

You Need A Thneed
Aug 16, 2012, 4:20 AM
The new CN intermodal yard will greatly reduce the number of Barlow and 52nd Street trains, since the majority of CN trains won't be entering the city.

The new 52nd St bridge goes over the CP mainline. That pretty much just leaves the CP mainline/Glenmore Trail as a problem crossing, and hopefully that one is taken care of in the next few years too.

freeweed
Aug 16, 2012, 2:36 PM
We have level crossings for trains in this city??

I'm only half-kidding, too. In my 9 years here I think I've been stuck waiting for a train once, and that was off 9th Ave at the one crossing that isn't an underpass. For a city that was (is?) a rail hub, I'm astounded at how few trains I actually see - and how I virtually never get stuck because of them.

Contrast this to other Canadian rail centres where it's not uncommon to be stuck waiting for a train once a week.

You Need A Thneed
Aug 16, 2012, 3:23 PM
We have level crossings for trains in this city??

I'm only half-kidding, too. In my 9 years here I think I've been stuck waiting for a train once, and that was off 9th Ave at the one crossing that isn't an underpass. For a city that was (is?) a rail hub, I'm astounded at how few trains I actually see - and how I virtually never get stuck because of them.

Contrast this to other Canadian rail centres where it's not uncommon to be stuck waiting for a train once a week.

Crossings other than sidings (and ignoring roads with very light traffic)

CP Mainline W-E:
32nd Ave NW (in Bowness)
11th St SW (downtown)
8th St SE (inglewood)
Glenmore Trail SE
84th Street SE (in Shepard)

32nd Ave in Bowness isn't really a problem I suspect, if there was ever a backup, you can drive to Bowness Road.

11th St will eventually get an underpass, I suspect.

8th Street likely will never get anything, it would be too complicated to build anything and cost too much for the value. However, a potential high speed train line may require full grade separation, in which case, it wouldn't be the city paying for it.

Glenmore Trail will be raised over the line in the next decade or so.

84th Street won't be a problem once Stoney Trail opens. Traffic will be low. Someday, with development growth, may get an overpass, but that's decades away.


CP Mainline N - Downtown:
50 Ave NE
41st Ave NE
17th Ave SE
15th St SE

None of these will ever have anything done, and are not an issue, except for if a high speed line goes in and requires full grade separation. In that case, it won't be the city paying for grade separations. A couple of those may just be blocked off in that case.

CP Mainline Downtown - S:
11th St SE
Dartmouth Rd/Highfield Rd/26th Ave Traffic Circle
39th Ave SE
42nd Ave SE
50th Ave SE
58th Ave SE
61st Ave SE
Heritage Dr SW
James Kckevitt Rd SW
162nd Ave SW
Shawville Gate SW

I don't think there's enough traffic on this line to make any of these high priority. Overpasses will happen with LRT track overpasses. 39th Ave crossing may cease to exist if and when 39th Ave LRT station blocks off the road. Heritage Drive will get an overpass when Heritage/Macleod Trail interchange goes in.


CN Mainline:
84th Street NE
68th Street SE
17th Ave SE
52nd Street SE
36th Street SE
Peigan Trail SE
50th Ave SE
Barlow Trail SE

The new CN intermodal yard by Balzac essentially turns all of this into a low traffic line. The city has thought about building an underpass under the Barlow crossing in the past, but we are glad we didn't spend that money now.

CN line along 50th Ave:
52nd Street SE
84th Street SE

Very low traffic on this line. However, a month or two ago, I did actually come up to a train that was crossing 84th Street on this line. It was 2 cars long.

Ferreth
Aug 17, 2012, 1:14 AM
Restricting movement for a couple hours is a huge cost to the railways through Calgary, especially if we are talking about the CP mainline. It is at close to maximum capacity (they recently or are currently spending millions on a debottlenecking project to add capacity for three more trains a day) so if the city had the power it would really hurt the railway.

It may seem annoying at time, but there is a reason railways have the powers they do.

What I want is an app I can check to tell me when a train is going to be at those crossings. Nothing more annoying than going up Barlow in the middle of the day and get stuck waiting because a train is at 50th. There are ways around, IF you know in advance that a train is going to be there. The city WAS trying an advance warning system - I'm guessing it didn't pan out as the signs eventually were taken away (and would not have been that useful anyways).

eggbert
Aug 23, 2012, 4:37 PM
Not sure if this is new or not since it has a date on it of June 14th on the file name but I don't remember seeing it before and it was on the news this morning.

http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Documents/Projects/Current-Planning-Projects/macleod_boards_June14.pdf

Full Mountain
Aug 23, 2012, 6:44 PM
Not sure if this is new or not since it has a date on it of June 14th on the file name but I don't remember seeing it before and it was on the news this morning.

http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Documents/Projects/Current-Planning-Projects/macleod_boards_June14.pdf

I'm of two minds with this one, if they fully implement the proposed boulevards it will create a great corridor, if they do only part of it (i.e. attempt to stick a bike lane without other improvements) it will be a disaster.

AB Born
Aug 23, 2012, 10:44 PM
I didn't realise this was such a big project.

kg6wscj97wk

Jimby
Aug 24, 2012, 3:26 AM
We have bike boxes in Calgary? Who knew?
Isn't the average Calgary Escalade driver too dumb to avoid stopping in a bike box?

http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/346537/edmonton-to-add-bike-box-to-cycling-route-near-university/

I must have driven over the one in Calgary yesterday without noticing it. No I don't drive an Escalade.

thager
Aug 24, 2012, 4:21 AM
I didn't realise this was such a big project.

kg6wscj97wk

wow i remember back in the late 80's early 90's when it was just single lane each way and quite the bridge and hill to get over the train tracks , i went that way to get to race city.

Full Mountain
Aug 24, 2012, 2:00 PM
We have bike boxes in Calgary? Who knew?
Isn't the average Calgary Escalade driver too dumb to avoid stopping in a bike box?

http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/346537/edmonton-to-add-bike-box-to-cycling-route-near-university/

I must have driven over the one in Calgary yesterday without noticing it. No I don't drive an Escalade.

Yup, on 10th Steet

Link (http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Pages/Cycling/Cycling-Route-Improvements/10-Street-N.W.-Bike-Lane-Pilot-Project.aspx)

Ramsayfarian
Aug 24, 2012, 2:33 PM
We have level crossings for trains in this city??

I'm only half-kidding, too. In my 9 years here I think I've been stuck waiting for a train once, and that was off 9th Ave at the one crossing that isn't an underpass. For a city that was (is?) a rail hub, I'm astounded at how few trains I actually see - and how I virtually never get stuck because of them.

Contrast this to other Canadian rail centres where it's not uncommon to be stuck waiting for a train once a week.

You probably don't cross 9th ave very often. Trains for me are almost a daily occurrence. For the most part, I do have work arounds, but there are times, that if the train is long enough and it can cross 26th ave and 11th st at the same time, I'm basically fucked.

My understanding is that the railroads own the rail crossings and only let us drive over them as a courtesy. Learned about this when the neighbourhood got their collective panties knotted up over trains on 9th ave and 8th st. SE. CP basically said if you don't like the wait, we will close off the road.

fusili
Aug 24, 2012, 3:32 PM
You probably don't cross 9th ave very often. Trains for me are almost a daily occurrence. For the most part, I do have work arounds, but there are times, that if the train is long enough and it can cross 26th ave and 11th st at the same time, I'm basically fucked.

My understanding is that the railroads own the rail crossings and only let us drive over them as a courtesy. Learned about this when the neighbourhood got their collective panties knotted up over trains on 9th ave and 8th st. SE. CP basically said if you don't like the wait, we will close off the road.

Railroads have a tremendous amount of power.

5seconds
Sep 11, 2012, 4:25 PM
Does anyone know the minimum width of an urban, 2-lane road (not parking or other lanes)? I don't have access to the entire "Geometric design guide for Canadian roads"document, which I suspect will have the answer.

Does the City conform to this guideline, or do they have another standard for the absolute minimum road widths?

Thanks!

MichaelS
Sep 11, 2012, 6:08 PM
Does anyone know the minimum width of an urban, 2-lane road (not parking or other lanes)? I don't have access to the entire "Geometric design guide for Canadian roads"document, which I suspect will have the answer.

Does the City conform to this guideline, or do they have another standard for the absolute minimum road widths?

Thanks!

This should be what you are looking for:
http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/DBA/Documents/urban_development/publications/design-guidelines-for-subdivision-servicing-2012.pdf

fusili
Sep 11, 2012, 6:44 PM
Does anyone know the minimum width of an urban, 2-lane road (not parking or other lanes)? I don't have access to the entire "Geometric design guide for Canadian roads"document, which I suspect will have the answer.

Does the City conform to this guideline, or do they have another standard for the absolute minimum road widths?

Thanks!

This should be what you are looking for:
http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/DBA/Documents/urban_development/publications/design-guidelines-for-subdivision-servicing-2012.pdf

The city is currently redoing their standards for all types of roads. The project is called the Complete Streets Guidelines. The Subdivision Servicing Guidelines I believe should reflect some, if not all of these updates.

The minimum width of a road will depend on its classification (residential, arterial, industrial arterial etc) and of course design speed. I believe the minimum is 3.3m width per lane on non-transit residential roads, 3.7m on primary goods movement roads.

5seconds
Sep 11, 2012, 7:19 PM
That's great, thank you both!

You Need A Thneed
Sep 11, 2012, 11:17 PM
The new lanes of Metis trail between 64th Ave and 80th Ave are now open. Currently, they have routed all of the traffic onto the new lanes while they redo some patches of the old lanes.

Part of the same project, the twinning of 80th Ave is complete between Metis trail and 52nd Street.

5seconds
Sep 12, 2012, 4:56 PM
Thanks for putting me onto the Complete Streets guide, and now I have a few questions, if anyone can help me.

In reading the document, it shows that most roads have a minimum travel-lane width of 3.5m, but those cross sections also show at least one parking lane. Does anyone know if a Local Connector can legally have a total width of just 7m (2x3.5m, no parking at all), or if a road like that must have a minimum standard of total pavement width in addition to individual lane requirements?

I am asking because there have been some complaints about a retrofit road in my community. I like to have proof of everything that's being discussed and not rely on someone's opinion, so I wanted to be able to see what the City says is legally acceptable for its roads. The new road is ugly for sure, but the complaints are about technical standards, so that's what i wanted to see about.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Yahoo
Sep 12, 2012, 10:04 PM
Any chance Crowchild Trail north will be upgraded and free flowing in our lifetimes?

I think the mayor mentioned something about challenges on Crowchild during his campaign, but I don't think city council is even thinking about it yet. (I say yet, but I believe someone posted plans on this site at one time showing plans from the 1970's). I guess it's like the plans for 16th by COP - which go ignored year after year. I heard they were going to start that next year - but to me it's like the SW ring-road. I won't believe it until I see shovels in the ground.

Aegis
Sep 13, 2012, 6:54 PM
I am blown away by how awesome this service is. It has saved me money over the cost of driving a short distance to downtown during the day (and paying downtown parking rates). I can potentially see myself not needing to own a car and relying solely on car2go for transportation needs.

Radley77
Sep 13, 2012, 8:32 PM
I am blown away by how awesome this service is. It has saved me money over the cost of driving a short distance to downtown during the day (and paying downtown parking rates). I can potentially see myself not needing to own a car and relying solely on car2go for transportation needs.

Wow, I've found lately I can't find a car2go in my neighbourhood when I 'd like to use one. They seem to cluster around MRU, University of Calgary, central business district and Chinook Centre during the daytime.

I found the service more useful when they were evenly dispersed.

tmjr
Sep 13, 2012, 10:07 PM
Any chance Crowchild Trail north will be upgraded and free flowing in our lifetimes?

I think the mayor mentioned something about challenges on Crowchild during his campaign, but I don't think city council is even thinking about it yet. (I say yet, but I believe someone posted plans on this site at one time showing plans from the 1970's). I guess it's like the plans for 16th by COP - which go ignored year after year. I heard they were going to start that next year - but to me it's like the SW ring-road. I won't believe it until I see shovels in the ground.

Some earlier discussions here (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=4797051#post4797051) and here (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=4977998#post4977998) about it.

Aegis
Sep 13, 2012, 10:57 PM
Wow, I've found lately I can't find a car2go in my neighbourhood when I 'd like to use one. They seem to cluster around MRU, University of Calgary, central business district and Chinook Centre during the daytime.

I found the service more useful when they were evenly dispersed.

That is one issue. As it gets more popular, its more challening to find a vehicle. There are quite a few in Bankview in the evening, but all gone by 8 AM. Hopefully they will keep the service level high by adding more vehicles.

DizzyEdge
Sep 13, 2012, 11:12 PM
Wow, I've found lately I can't find a car2go in my neighbourhood when I 'd like to use one. They seem to cluster around MRU, University of Calgary, central business district and Chinook Centre during the daytime.

I found the service more useful when they were evenly dispersed.

Me too, i've been taking them to work from the 'north hill' and lately they are all gone with the rush hour. I may start reserving.

DizzyEdge
Sep 13, 2012, 11:19 PM
Looking at the map right now is interesting.
It's 5:15, and only a single car remains in the core (during the day there's lots)

The biggest clusters at this time in order:

Sunalta
Bankview
West Hillhurst
Glenbrook & Glamorgan
Lakeview
Rosedale
Chinook Mall
Westbrook area

freeweed
Sep 14, 2012, 3:22 PM
You probably don't cross 9th ave very often. Trains for me are almost a daily occurrence. For the most part, I do have work arounds, but there are times, that if the train is long enough and it can cross 26th ave and 11th st at the same time, I'm basically fucked.

Very true - I don't hit a couple of spots in the city where it's bad, and I almost never see them. Although I do cross 9th Ave very often, but I use the underpasses in the Core.

I was being tongue-in-cheek with my comment, but it's telling that if you just avoid a couple of areas, you never see trains. In other cities, every area is affected to one degree or another.

Radley77
Sep 17, 2012, 10:39 PM
Looking at the map right now is interesting.
It's 5:15, and only a single car remains in the core (during the day there's lots)

The biggest clusters at this time in order:

Sunalta
Bankview
West Hillhurst
Glenbrook & Glamorgan
Lakeview
Rosedale
Chinook Mall
Westbrook area

Looking at the map at 4:30 PM on September 17 (Monday) and not a single car in the CBD at this time. I wonder if they will add more vehichles or make any changes now that the system is essentially bottlenecked for their biggest user group.

DizzyEdge
Sep 18, 2012, 12:01 AM
Looking at the map at 4:30 PM on September 17 (Monday) and not a single car in the CBD at this time. I wonder if they will add more vehichles or make any changes now that the system is essentially bottlenecked for their biggest user group.

Yeah you'd think if when rush hour has just begun they have all been taken that is a clear sign to add more cars.

Koolfire
Sep 18, 2012, 12:08 AM
Looking at the map at 4:30 PM on September 17 (Monday) and not a single car in the CBD at this time. I wonder if they will add more vehichles or make any changes now that the system is essentially bottlenecked for their biggest user group.

My understanding is these cars can only parked and released in non-pay curbside parking (Or at least person releasing it would be on the hook for the parking fine). Not much of that in CBE during the day.

DizzyEdge
Sep 18, 2012, 12:18 AM
My understanding is these cars can only parked and released in non-pay curbside parking (Or at least person releasing it would be on the hook for the parking fine). Not much of that in CBE during the day.

You can end your rental in curbside pay zones though. Normally during the day there are 20+ all around the downtown usually in curbside pay zones.

You Need A Thneed
Sep 19, 2012, 4:24 PM
It looks like 84th Street E is getting utilities installed underneath it between 17th Ave SE and about 50th Ave SE.

Likely to service the upcoming East Hills Retail development.

AB Born
Sep 22, 2012, 4:07 AM
Deerfoot is having some new overhead signs installed – has been since the summer. Recently the overhead exit sign for McKnight Blvd on NB Deerfoot was installed, but unfortunately the “exit only” arrow isn’t lined up properly with the exit only lane.

DoubleK
Sep 25, 2012, 6:11 PM
For any of you who take McLeod north into the city... CPS was out warning motorists not to short cut to 162nd on the shoulder again this morning. I saw them out last week ticketing for the same thing.

Shame that they don't build that lane all the way back to the 22x merge.

AB Born
Sep 29, 2012, 10:22 PM
52 St SE reopened today...

Barnes
Sep 30, 2012, 5:41 AM
52 St SE reopened today...

Hooray! I also noticed that the light poles are now standing on 130th east of 52nd.

AB Born
Oct 1, 2012, 5:06 AM
I went to the Doors Open YYC tour at the Traffic Management Centre and learnt a few cool facts:
- There are 70 permanent traffic cameras (the black ball security looking type cameras) at various intersections throughout the city + 10 mobile ones that are “cranked up” on a trailer like structure that are solar powered. Plans are in place to add only a few more cameras each year. Video is live feed only and isn’t recorded. Some more info here. (http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/Roads/Pages/Traffic/Traffic-management/Traffic-monitoring-cameras.aspx)
- The centre is staffed 24/7 and is in touch with the police & tow trucks for various issues that arise
- 60% of Calgary’s traffic lights are networked and can be communicated with / reset / reprogrammed from the centre. All of downtown is networked; many areas in the suburbs aren’t… meaning that 40% of the traffic lights can’t be “talked to” remotely.
- Most newer traffic lights have camera looking devices mounted to the tops of each pole pointing towards the traffic. Contrary to what most people think, these are not video cameras that record video or send video back to the centre. They simply are used to “sense” when a car is waiting at an intersection to activate a turn signal etc. They said that these cameras have the ability to transmit video but the feature isn’t turned on due to hard drive space, data load, and privacy issues. It would be neat to “playback” the video of an accident to see what happened… maybe in the future this will happen.
- Certain intersections in key areas close to emergency services have a black looking sensor mounted on the pole that a fire truck / ambulance can activate to force the light into green cycle so they can get through.
- Some buses have this same technology that has a “blue light” on the pole… this simply will hold the light green for ~10 seconds for the bus to make it through the intersection.
- Deerfoot & Crowchild are in the final stages of having a Bluetooth technology system installed at various locations that will display travel times on the message boards to various locations. For example on Deerfoot the message boards recently installed will say something along the lines of “15min to Airport Tr….7min to Memorial Dr.”

DizzyEdge
Oct 1, 2012, 3:54 PM
I'm surprised that the video isn't recorded, could be very useful in case of accidents. Considering how many traffic cam videos I've seen from all over the world with accident footage, it seems to be standard in a lot of other jurisdictions.

Mazrim
Oct 1, 2012, 6:11 PM
I'm surprised that the video isn't recorded, could be very useful in case of accidents. Considering how many traffic cam videos I've seen from all over the world with accident footage, it seems to be standard in a lot of other jurisdictions.

I'm not too surprised. The amount of recording going on for 4 cameras per intersection would be a massive undertaking to store and sort through. The City also opens itself up to liability whenever it records and people expect it to be available in court cases. Then there are the privacy people who freak out at anything and anyone who record them walking down a public street, for example.

The traffic cam footage you see still isn't that common. Check out Seattle's coverage for example. Big place, lots of traffic, not as many cameras as you'd expect.

Anyway, the cameras are basically the replacement technology for induction loops in the pavement. Easily adjustable and easy to maintain compared to any problems with induction loops.

mersar
Oct 1, 2012, 6:24 PM
I'm not too surprised. The amount of recording going on for 4 cameras per intersection would be a massive undertaking to store and sort through. The City also opens itself up to liability whenever it records and people expect it to be available in court cases. Then there are the privacy people who freak out at anything and anyone who record them walking down a public street, for example.

Yep it would be massive even if it was only some of the busier ones. But for comparison, the 600+ cameras at all the CTrain stations are stored for 30 days according to what I was told when I did the tour of Victoria Park garage and the control centre there, so it is doable but storage and the network to actually move the data to a central location are the big and expensive factor.

artvandelay
Oct 2, 2012, 5:06 AM
I went to the Doors Open YYC tour at the Traffic Management Centre and learnt a few cool facts:
- Some buses have this same technology that has a “blue light” on the pole… this simply will hold the light green for ~10 seconds for the bus to make it through the intersection.

Ah, so that's what those bright blue lights are! I noticed them on the stretch of Elbow Drive that was recently re-done.

- Deerfoot & Crowchild are in the final stages of having a Bluetooth technology system installed at various locations that will display travel times on the message boards to various locations. For example on Deerfoot the message boards recently installed will say something along the lines of “15min to Airport Tr….7min to Memorial Dr.”

Nice, now we just need some of these:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8vFp5xQjfB0/TEip-jNPycI/AAAAAAAAA1g/tahmvjjW8Kg/s1600/TrafficSignboard.jpg
Link (http://khunbaobao.blogspot.ca/2010/07/bangkok-traffic-advisory-signs.html)

5seconds
Oct 3, 2012, 4:51 PM
Can someone tell me what C&G is, in regards to road lanes. Also 'shy distance'?

glam
Oct 3, 2012, 5:42 PM
Anyway, the cameras are basically the replacement technology for induction loops in the pavement. Easily adjustable and easy to maintain compared to any problems with induction loops.

I've run into a few intersections where me and my bike couldn't activate the induction loop. Will these new cameras be able to sense something as small as a cyclist?