lemongrab
Active Member
Fair, I'm guilty of looking through the lens of my own use-case here.
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Calgary Bike Lanes and Bike Paths
- Thread starter Cowtown
- Start date
Fair, I'm guilty of looking through the lens of my own use-case here.
‘The green wave’, I like it
I’ve found the same thing.I’ve tried to do that with the 5th street track, but it’s too frustrating lol.
Regarding the 3rd ave cycle track, it seems Quadreal is pushing for the removal of it, even asking tenants to participate in lobbying the city to remove it.
Here from an e-mail this morning. They've even included a template letter to make it easy for people to e-mail the city.
Good morning,
In 2020, the City of Calgary introduced the temporary Cycle Track on 3rd Avenue SW as a pathway detour to accommodate construction work on the Bow River Pathway and Jaipur Bridge.
When the project was first installed, it was communicated to all stakeholders that following the completion of the aforementioned construction projects, the temporary Cycle Track would be removed, and the original traffic flow on 3rd Avenue SW would be restored.
Recent developments and discussions have raised concerns that the City may be considering the possibility of keeping the 3rd Avenue Temporary Cycle Track in place permanently. We also understand that whether or not the temporary track is removed, the City remains committed to installing permanent cycle tracks on 3rd Avenue SW some time in the future. We understand that cycling infrastructure is important for our city's mobility and sustainability goals, but it's equally vital that such decisions are made through inclusive consultations that involve all stakeholders, including our tenants. We firmly believe that any changes to our urban landscape should be the result of a well-informed and collaborative decision-making process. This engagement process should involve analysis of all possible locations for future infrastructure and not just 3rd Avenue SW. Much has changed on 3rd Avenue SW since the City declared it the future preferred cycle track route 15 years ago.
To ensure that our voices are heard and our concerns are taken into consideration, we have prepared a template letter for you to use at your discretion. This letter is addressed to City Council and City Administration (submission details included on 2nd page of the attachment), expressing our support for the removal of the 3rd Avenue Temporary Cycle Track and our belief in the importance of proper consultation for any permanent changes to our infrastructure considering all downtown options and adherence to the commitments made to our community.
Lastly, and critical at this stage of the City's engagement process, we strongly encourage as many individual employees within your company as possible to participate in the very brief survey the City has provided. Based on our previous experience with the City of Calgary’s engagement processes, maximizing the number of individual employee responses significantly impacts the effectiveness of this process. Please find a link to the City’s survey below regarding the 3rd Avenue Temporary Cycle Track:
https://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=6b18eb24-1397-4d75-85c3-5f7b45170f32
We appreciate your engagement in this matter, as your individual feedback matters significantly. Your active participation can make a real difference in ensuring that our community's interests are respected and upheld.
Should you have any questions or require further assistance with either the letter or responding to the survey, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly.
Much has changed on 3rd Avenue SW since the City declared it the future preferred cycle track route 15 years ago.
I'm trying to think of what exactly has changed on 3rd since 2008 other than the addition of glass and steel walls that block out everything from the avenue. Jamieson Place was completed shortly after that, and is nothing more than a glass wall and a parkade entrance. Calgary City Centre was completed after that, and they took away business that actually had street activity and put up more glass and steel walls and another parkade entrance. Then we have more of the same with Centennial Place and Eau Claire Tower. The parking lots are gone, but have only been replaced by more glass and steel walls and parkade entrances. There has been little improvement with those new buildings but adding the cycle track has helped make it easier for commuters who work along or near 3rd ave.
Here from an e-mail this morning. They've even included a template letter to make it easy for people to e-mail the city.
Good morning,
In 2020, the City of Calgary introduced the temporary Cycle Track on 3rd Avenue SW as a pathway detour to accommodate construction work on the Bow River Pathway and Jaipur Bridge.
When the project was first installed, it was communicated to all stakeholders that following the completion of the aforementioned construction projects, the temporary Cycle Track would be removed, and the original traffic flow on 3rd Avenue SW would be restored.
Recent developments and discussions have raised concerns that the City may be considering the possibility of keeping the 3rd Avenue Temporary Cycle Track in place permanently. We also understand that whether or not the temporary track is removed, the City remains committed to installing permanent cycle tracks on 3rd Avenue SW some time in the future. We understand that cycling infrastructure is important for our city's mobility and sustainability goals, but it's equally vital that such decisions are made through inclusive consultations that involve all stakeholders, including our tenants. We firmly believe that any changes to our urban landscape should be the result of a well-informed and collaborative decision-making process. This engagement process should involve analysis of all possible locations for future infrastructure and not just 3rd Avenue SW. Much has changed on 3rd Avenue SW since the City declared it the future preferred cycle track route 15 years ago.
To ensure that our voices are heard and our concerns are taken into consideration, we have prepared a template letter for you to use at your discretion. This letter is addressed to City Council and City Administration (submission details included on 2nd page of the attachment), expressing our support for the removal of the 3rd Avenue Temporary Cycle Track and our belief in the importance of proper consultation for any permanent changes to our infrastructure considering all downtown options and adherence to the commitments made to our community.
Lastly, and critical at this stage of the City's engagement process, we strongly encourage as many individual employees within your company as possible to participate in the very brief survey the City has provided. Based on our previous experience with the City of Calgary’s engagement processes, maximizing the number of individual employee responses significantly impacts the effectiveness of this process. Please find a link to the City’s survey below regarding the 3rd Avenue Temporary Cycle Track:
https://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=6b18eb24-1397-4d75-85c3-5f7b45170f32
We appreciate your engagement in this matter, as your individual feedback matters significantly. Your active participation can make a real difference in ensuring that our community's interests are respected and upheld.
Should you have any questions or require further assistance with either the letter or responding to the survey, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly.
Much has changed on 3rd Avenue SW since the City declared it the future preferred cycle track route 15 years ago.
I'm trying to think of what exactly has changed on 3rd since 2008 other than the addition of glass and steel walls that block out everything from the avenue. Jamieson Place was completed shortly after that, and is nothing more than a glass wall and a parkade entrance. Calgary City Centre was completed after that, and they took away business that actually had street activity and put up more glass and steel walls and another parkade entrance. Then we have more of the same with Centennial Place and Eau Claire Tower. The parking lots are gone, but have only been replaced by more glass and steel walls and parkade entrances. There has been little improvement with those new buildings but adding the cycle track has helped make it easier for commuters who work along or near 3rd ave.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
Is this really just a few execs that got stuck one time coming out of a parking garage and took a personal interest?
Seems like a bizarre level of interest in a not very important corridor.
Seems like a bizarre level of interest in a not very important corridor.
ByeByeBaby
Active Member
What's particularly odd is the continual repetition of the lie that this was always envisioned as temporary. The initial web site made no mention of temporary changes; it didn't say they would be permanent, but neither does the engagement around the construction of the Green Line or the Ring Road. The original FAQ did say they would be permanent:
It's obvious that the lie about this always being temporary is a way for the City to remove in-place cycle infrastructure during a climate emergency without looking like the baddies.
It's obvious that the lie about this always being temporary is a way for the City to remove in-place cycle infrastructure during a climate emergency without looking like the baddies.
I'm not sure of the motivation, except that Quardreal owns three buildings all on one intersection and maybe they feel cycle track disrupts the flow in and out of the buildings? I can't possibly think of why they would complain. It's their three buildings that have sucked the life out of the intersection and that stretch of 3rd ave. I heard somewhere back that they had complained about it affecting future retail opportunities, but the way the buildings are designed there are no future retail options. They've permanently ruined that chance.
darwink
Senior Member
the traffic on 3rd has been really bad this year. mostly because of utility work elsewhere. people blame the more visible thing, because they're people.
Interestingly, the alternative route out for the area is the lower deck of the centre street bridge (when it isn't closed to vehicles).
So I get that they feel hard done by, and this is something that is being consulted on, and we can't expect everyone to know the nuances.
Interestingly, the alternative route out for the area is the lower deck of the centre street bridge (when it isn't closed to vehicles).
So I get that they feel hard done by, and this is something that is being consulted on, and we can't expect everyone to know the nuances.
Nimbus
Active Member
There is no world in which the cycle track is stopping traffic from exiting those parkades, it's the vehicle TRAFFIC on 3rd that impedes a vehicles ability to get onto it from those buildings.
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There is definitely an issue with vehicles leaving the parkades after 3:30-ish. I don't have any issue leaving the parkade on a bike, but for me the biggest issue was cycling out of there with 50 vehicles idling and the exhaust that comes with it.
A lot of drivers probably think it's the cycle track making it worse, but it's always been that way, for at least as long as I can remember.
A lot of drivers probably think it's the cycle track making it worse, but it's always been that way, for at least as long as I can remember.
ByeByeBaby
Active Member
What's particularly frustrating is that there's an easy fix to the issue of vehicle traffic - ban left turns in the afternoon for a couple of hours at three intersections. The City could also remove about 15 street parking stalls (and one curb bulb-out) and create eastbound left turn lanes at the three intersections. Either of these would resolve the car traffic problem, keep the cycle tracks and cost less than removing the cycle tracks. The point of a pilot or whatever is to make changes to make it work right, not to try something and then give up as soon as some Vancouver investment fund throws a hissy fit. (And by, does QuadReal talk a good game about their climate change targets and Net Zero on their website.)
CBBarnett
Senior Member
That would be a solution to a real issue but would break rule #1 - never for any reason restrict the turn movements of vehicles ever, even when not restricting turns is worse for them and their commute times. Vehicular freedom is sitting in grid-lock but being able to legally make the turns you want everywhere!
outoftheice
Active Member
There was a campaign not too long ago encouraging people to file 3-1-1 requests for a new crossing in this location. Glad to see that it worked and the City of Calgary is already in the planning process for a crossing. Sounds like the area Councillor is now onboard with it as well.
ByeByeBaby
Active Member
Went past here yesterday; looks like the concrete blocks keeping cyclists safe are being removed. Here's a pic I took:
Shoot. Accidentally pasted from the Calgary Transportation Plan. Wish whoever came up with and approved that was in charge of what happened on city streets; life would be a lot better! Anyways,
Shoot. Accidentally pasted from the Calgary Transportation Plan. Wish whoever came up with and approved that was in charge of what happened on city streets; life would be a lot better! Anyways,
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Ramsayite
New Member
If they reinstall a parking lane and parking signs I'm gonna remove them.
Just sayin.
Just sayin.
Golfing guy
Active Member
Sure it’s not just utility work. Look at all the patches in the asphalt