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Urban Development and Proposals Discussion

maestro said:
Don't you know that everyone can't help themselves from throwing rocks at passing trains. A full cage on a pedestrian overpass iwould be required. It would still face more resistance than an underpass
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Sad but true. The rail companies are ridiculous in the amount of restrictions they think they need around their tracks. Somehow people manage to control themselves from throwing things onto cars from all the road overpasses/bridges across the country, but any bridge over a rail line needs to be fully enclosed, massively high to avoid "visibility issues", and even then, it will take forever to get approved. Meanwhile, of course, the trains can bring any number of dangerous, explosive substances through major populated areas without so much as a shrug.
 
Thewanderer said:
Instead of an underpass at 11th, why not at least a pedestrian overpass bridge?
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Surrealplaces said:
Might be the best solution. One that would probably have the least opposition from CP, and would be cheaper than an underpass.
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An overpass would have to be quite high. I believe the height of where the LRT crosses the CPR near 14th street is a minimum height for structures cross the track.

A normal underpass - what is the distance between 9th and 10th there? Enough room for a to spec (same clearances as 4th St SE) underpass while leaving room for a four track bridge?
 
Druh Farrell has tweeted about (or at least implying) affordable housing being built over the Louise Riley library. Has anyone heard anything more substantive about this?
Seems like a great idea/location. Being right next to Lions Park, not requiring any parking, next to underutilized mall w/ a Safeway, etc
 
Silence&Motion said:
Sad but true. The rail companies are ridiculous in the amount of restrictions they think they need around their tracks. Somehow people manage to control themselves from throwing things onto cars from all the road overpasses/bridges across the country, but any bridge over a rail line needs to be fully enclosed, massively high to avoid "visibility issues", and even then, it will take forever to get approved. Meanwhile, of course, the trains can bring any number of dangerous, explosive substances through major populated areas without so much as a shrug.
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Well, back to the underpass drawing board. Maybe the cities need to get together and lobby the Federal government for some change.
 
JonnyCanuck said:
I don't think this was reported anywhere. One Properties has acquired the Sunnyside Garden Centre site and adjacent lands and they are planning another massive development. The rental houses that were on the adjacent parcel were built by the original owner of Sunnyside for rental purposes, and they have all been recently torn down.
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So that is who bought it. Thanks for updating. Based on their land-use application, they want to go up to 18 storeys in height there:
https://developmentmap.calgary.ca/#property/LOC2018-0272

Of course, now I see the development map link contains a link to ONE Propertie's engagement website:
http://www.sunnysideredevelopment.com/

1549927730245.png
 
maestro said:
It's also one of the busiest because it is the only crossing within 6 or 7 city blocks. Where is everyone going to be diverted for the year or more needed to build an underpass there that doesn't blow the budget? Phasing the work with an open crossing is going to take a lot more time and money. You may get two underpasses for that price. Three city blocks between crossings creates to much of a dividing line between downtown and the Beltline
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The logistics of it will be tough, but they need this to happen ASAP! 11st is the bike lane (I use it to access the river pathway), the access point between the west Beltline and the c-train station, and the only crossing for cars between 14st and 8st. The funding and the lack of political will by city hall is the reason nothing is planned currently. CP are playing tough, but they would fold under the right amount of pressure from the city, citizens and the media.

maestro said:
I'm a firmer believer in infrastructure before intensification. It's the right time to build the 5th street underpass. Worst case would be to postpone construction and end up with the same situation as the West End in 20 years time. Let's get the East Village right.
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I agree that it makes sense to do it now, just don't think it should be the #1 priority. It's going to be quite some time before the area is built out to the point of making this underpass more difficult and expensive. 11 St needs to happen before someone buys the Staples or Metro Ford, both of those lots are big enough for all the staging / detours (for the trains) required during construction.
 
The best solution would be to get CP to sell the downtown section of the subdivision to the province which will lease it back to CP.. They may not be willing to sell as it's their mainline.
 
Mountain Man said:
Rockyview County is banking big time on these massive developments. Do they generate enough tax revenue to really be worth the massive burden on infrastructure?
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The county has a goal to have something like a 20/80 split for tax base with residential being the 20. Pretty sure they still have a large gap in that but obviously has closed down quite substantially in the last few years.
 
Stephen Ave said:
Some dutch students did a study on re-routing the railway tracks. Not sure if it'll ever happen in my lifetime, but it looks like it might be somewhat feasible. The city/province/feds would need to look at this a an overall vision and think outside the box a bit. Especially the City. It could be a 100% game changer for Calgary.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/dutch-students-propose-solution-calgary-railyards-1.4568534
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I spent a few minutes a while ago trying to find the actual study and no luck. The ways to pay for it assume not reusing a lot of the land for mass transit. And having not the land owner value capture the land enough to pay for a big thing like this, is pretty drastic.

I mostly wanted to see the route they proposed as the alternative, since they probably used nice GIS software to find a nice low slope route.
 
Yeah, it looks like they want to turn the section into a giant park that interconnects the neighborhoods. In some ways this would be nice, but not the best use. @darwink's idea of using part of it for HSR makes more sense. Anyone who knows me, knows I've always liked the idea of a canal. :cool: and while it's not necessarily practical, I think it would get Calgary over the hump into being a global tourist destination.

The canal could be mixed with HSR/mass transit on one side and a small two lane road on another side....kind of like the streets of Amsterdam that run alongside the canal. There would be a section or two where some properties butt up against the canal and can have restaurant patios that sit on the canal. Also some stairs for rafters to stop in and grab a point of beer.
 
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