Calgary Roads - Page 51

mwalker_mw · #**1001** Posted **Mar 9, 2010, 3:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazrim

100% Clarity comes at the expense of information overload to the driver, which is equally bad. The more signs, the more chevrons, the more brightly colored paint you put in a small area, the more the driver needs to read and react to it all. You need to balance it all.

True, but I'm thinking something along the lines of a double yellow just outside of the rise, or similar. Nothing too flashy. And perhaps (not sure if this already exists) a clear distinction on the roundabout signage as to single or double lane (or more). An easy solution would be a small text sub-sign below the roundabout sign like that at a 4 way / 3 way stop with "one lane" or "two lane" as appropriate. Then, to reinforce this, get a few television news spots and maybe a pamphlet mailout. It's not that every subtlety needs to be signed at the location, rather, just clarifying some of the more confusing points into common knowledge "This is How Calgary Does Roundabouts". This education does not need to reach everyone, as long as the majority are using it correctly, most everyone else will follow. But right now there is too much confusion to ensure safe and efficient operation.

I'll give the example of merging from 5th on to memorial out of downtown. While a bit awkward with the last minute merge of the right lane, it has always operated fairly well. Currently, the gravel/scraping has completely hidden the lines in that area. The conflict between those who know the lane configuration and those trying to figure out what to do has resulted in more than a few near misses that I have seen. The end result is everyone has slowed down and that is backing up way more than it did when the lines were visible. A little bit of confusion and/or uncertainty breeds both safety hazards and inefficiency.

We don't need arrays of big flashing signs, we just need a common understanding and maybe a few more subtle visual hints. There are many simple and relatively low cost methods (already proven in other areas of traffic management) that I think would be well worth considering.

Ferreth · #**1002** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 4:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Is it arranged like this?

If so it's really doesn't seem that scary.. if arms are down you don't proceed.
Actually it does seem scary, but only because it seems most motorists can't figure out that you look left and yield until the path is clear to enter any roundabout in this city.

Alright, so at 7 o'clock on this thing we have Dartmouth Road with 2 lanes for both entrance and exit of the circle. So, what happens when you have 2 lanes of traffic coming into this one lane circle? I don't want to be anywhere near Dartmouth going into this circle after a train has backed things up every which way.

I'd also comment that the train barriers from 26th & Dartmouth should have been put back further to prevent people from going around the circle the wrong way while a train is there.

I'm just going to dub this thing the "CIRCLE OF DEATH" now and be done with it; should weed out a few Darwin candidates at any rate.

Full Mountain · #**1003** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 2:55 PM**

^^^
In my understanding the right lane is designed that it turns right from Dartmouth Road to Highfield Road without any further access to the circle, while the left lane on Dartmouth is design to proceed to any exit (Highfield, 24th, or Dartmouth)

You Need A Thneed · #**1004** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 4:21 PM**

The city is expropriating land related to the 4th Street underpass. What funny, is that the exact same public notice giving mention of that appears on page B4, B7, AND B9 of today's Herald. I thought that was petty funny.

Bigtime · #**1005** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 4:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

The city is expropriating land related to the 4th Street underpass. What funny, is that the exact same public notice giving mention of that appears on page B4, B7, AND B9 of today's Herald. I thought that was petty funny.

The old Desperados/Coyotes/Cowboys building has started to have window sections removed from it. I'm guessing it will be coming down shortly.

Nevar forget

Ramsayfarian · #**1006** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 4:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

The old Desperados/Coyotes/Cowboys building has started to have window sections removed from it. I'm guessing it will be coming down shortly.

Nevar forget

You forget Dusty's.

Bigtime · #**1007** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 4:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

You forget Dusty's.

Now that was before my time, it was Desperados (or as we liked to call it Desperate Ho's) when I came of age.

Ramsayfarian · #**1008** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 8:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Now that was before my time, it was Desperados (or as we liked to call it Desperate Ho's) when I came of age.

Thanks for making me feel old. Again.

A have a cousin who actually had sex in a porta-pottie at Dusty's. Not sure what's worse, having sex in a porta-pottie or having sex with a woman who would have sex in a porta-pottie.

I drove by Cowboys twice today, the excavators are in the process of knocking it down.

Bigtime · #**1009** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 8:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I drove by Cowboys twice today, the excavators are in the process of knocking it down.

Never Forget 03/10

lubicon · #**1010** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 9:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

Thanks for making me feel old. Again.

A have a cousin who actually had sex in a porta-pottie at Dusty's. Not sure what's worse, having sex in a porta-pottie or having sex with a woman who would have sex in a porta-pottie.

I drove by Cowboys twice today, the excavators are in the process of knocking it down.

A woman needs a reason to have sex, a man only needs a place.

Ramsayfarian · #**1011** Posted **Mar 10, 2010, 11:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lubicon

A woman needs a reason to have sex, a man only needs a place.

Is getting laid a reason?

Ferreth · #**1012** Posted **Mar 11, 2010, 2:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

^^^
In my understanding the right lane is designed that it turns right from Dartmouth Road to Highfield Road without any further access to the circle, while the left lane on Dartmouth is design to proceed to any exit (Highfield, 24th, or Dartmouth)

That makes sense if they are closing 30th Ave permanently.

lubicon · #**1013** Posted **Mar 11, 2010, 7:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lubicon

A woman needs a reason to have sex, a man only needs a place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

Is getting laid a reason?

Don't know, you'll have to ask a woman I guess.

Let us know what you find out.

outoftheice · #**1014** Posted **Mar 11, 2010, 7:15 PM**

I posted this in the Airport thread as well. There was an excellent article on the Airport Tunnel project in the Calgary Herald this morning. I can't believe that they're not going to build this thing... talk about short sighted!!

Quote:

Airport tunnel decision disastrous for city

By Naheed Nenshi, For The Calgary HeraldMarch 11, 2010Comments (6)

In killing the Airport Trail tunnel, city council has made an irreversible error whose impact will be felt for generations.

Despite assurances that the issue will be revisited once the new runway is built, there is no way it will happen.

For better or worse, from 2011 forward, the citizens of east Calgary will be cut off from the airport, we will never have adequate transit access for 18,000 workers, and a number of businesses built to serve travellers will fail.

(And don't get me started on 36th Street as an alternative; this 11-kilometre detour is a narrow strip of potholed pavement, no shoulders and no lane markings, ending at a stop sign at Country Hills Boulevard.)

There's a lot of blame to go around here: the feds and the province failed to pony up the cash. The Calgary Airport Authority has been ambivalent at best about the tunnel. Conspiracy theories about the latter abound -- was the airport loath to give up even a stripe of potentially developable land? Are they so in thrall of parking revenues and taxi concessions that they oppose anything that may lead to better transit service to YYC?

It doesn't really matter. It's not the airport authority's responsibility to fight for citizens. No, that job rightly lives with city council, and it is council that has failed us.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Ai...#ixzz0htfP1r19

Mazrim · #**1015** Posted **Mar 11, 2010, 7:28 PM**

I'm sure they will revisit the issue in the future, actually.

Problem is, they will look at it and say "OMG look how much it will cost to build under this nice new runway! There's no way we can afford this!" So, we're screwed either way. I imagine in 20 years when the congestion in the area is so extreme that they have to do it, and the price tag will have ballooned to $1B, that everyone will ask "what were they thinking?"

Inner City Dweller · #**1016** Posted **Mar 12, 2010, 8:26 AM**

http://www.calgarymlc.ca/_uploads/5e...out%20open.pdf
The official press release for 26 Ave roundabout from CMLC. It will be 2 lanes and 30 Ave will be permanently closed after being temporarily opened this summer while they work on the circle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferreth

Alright, so at 7 o'clock on this thing we have Dartmouth Road with 2 lanes for both entrance and exit of the circle. So, what happens when you have 2 lanes of traffic coming into this one lane circle? I don't want to be anywhere near Dartmouth going into this circle after a train has backed things up every which way.

I'd also comment that the train barriers from 26th & Dartmouth should have been put back further to prevent people from going around the circle the wrong way while a train is there.

I'm just going to dub this thing the "CIRCLE OF DEATH" now and be done with it; should weed out a few Darwin candidates at any rate.

Wentworth · #**1017** Posted **Mar 15, 2010, 1:09 PM**

Not sure if this has been discussed yet - City will build a new "temporary" overpass at 37th and Glenmore. Any bets on how long "temporary" will be? I'm guessing they don't foresee the SW Ring Road proceeding any time soon?

Quote:

Ongoing upgrades are happening along the Glenmore Trail Corridor to improve the flow of traffic and the movement of goods in Calgary. Work at Glenmore Trail and 37 Street S.W. will include construction of a temporary 37 Street detour bridge over Glenmore Trail and a second roundabout on 37 Street north of Glenmore Trail. This work allows for the removal of the traffic signals at 37 Street and provides free flow movement on Glenmore Trail.

http://telljoe.ca/wp-content/uploads...e-20100323.pdf

YYCguys · #**1018** Posted **Mar 15, 2010, 3:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wentworth

Not sure if this has been discussed yet - City will build a new "temporary" overpass at 37th and Glenmore. Any bets on how long "temporary" will be? I'm guessing they don't foresee the SW Ring Road proceeding any time soon?

http://telljoe.ca/wp-content/uploads...e-20100323.pdf

Here's the design if anyone is interested! I had a good read on how to use roundabouts, since I have only ever used those tiny ones in Crescent Heights, when there's been virtually no traffic!

http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/...our_design.pdf

You Need A Thneed · #**1019** Posted **Mar 15, 2010, 4:11 PM**

I wonder how much the temporary overpass costs?

Either way, building a temporary anything like this is an indication that the final solution is more than just a couple of years away.

We would have to think that the city has been talking to the province, and the provinces must have at least preliminary ideas. The city wouldn't build anything temporary that would interfere with any of the proposed final solutions.

This temporary bridge has got to be in a place that it can be for most of the construction, at least.

mersar · #**1020** Posted **Mar 15, 2010, 4:18 PM**

Yep. Compared to the previous design that was on the city's site this looks like a "lets fix the current issue, make people happy that we kept our promise, but don't block the province from building the final fix" type of interchange. Based on the size I'm going to make a rough estimate of $40M for this temporary fix, but you never know it may be possible to incorporate it into the future full interchange there for the ring road which could mean that it wouldn't be a completely wasted $40M.