Quote:
Originally Posted by ImmortalHawk
Even though I really like the open concept of the Victoria Park station, it worries me that the pedestrian traffic after a game or event in the Saddledome will cause problems for the traffic on Macleod. It will cause major congestions in the whole area. Not to mention the accidents that could be caused when the station is at-grade. Tbh I like the Victoria Park station, just maybe renovate the station to make it more open, and demolish that ugly pedestrian bridge. Maybe build a new, expanded one? Cuz the spiral stairs and ramp coming down from the bridge are a real sketchy place...
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I don't disagree with you, however, there are several mitigating factors also.
1. Currently large numbers of cars east-bound on 17th avenue must turn left, however, now I suspect a majority of them will end up continuing east through the newly revitalized area, and then turn north on Olympic Way, which will have many more services and a major hotel added.
2. Some cars going north on MacLeod may now turn right for all of new destinations mentioned above, all the way up to East Village.
3. A vast majority of the pressure on MacLeod Trail northbound is during hours that there will not be pedestrians crossing over the the Stampede Grounds. In the afternoon, the pressure is on MacLeod Trail southbound, not northbound.
4. The pedestrian pathway across MacLeod is on the north of the car intersection, so all volumes from 1 & 2 above will not be effected.
5. The pedestrian pathway across MacLeod is ultra-wide, so movements can happen quickly.
6. A vast majority of the pedestrian traffic, save for specific scenarios like a rare Flames playoff run, will actually be moving between the Stampede grounds and the station itself. Given the tracks are on the east of the road, these larger volumes will not be crossing MacLeod at all. Further, it looks like the pedestrian areas both sides of the train station run for a good distance north, so many crossings may happen to the north of the BMO from the train
7. Even for those post playoff game scenarios, odds are much higher that the red wave (of whatever you want to call it) will shift in large part Olympic Way and the eastern portion of the "new" 17th avenue, only extending till MacLeod - more of a Jurassic Park scenario like in Toronto. This is something that can be "planned" and I suspect will be.
8. The high volume of pedestrians we've previously seen for the Stampede going all the way across has gone down substantially, as the large parking lots between MacLeod north and south have been eliminated.
So all in all, I think what we are currently envisioning is car and pedestrian movements akin to the broader area as we currently see it, however
what we really need to be thinking about is car and pedestrian movements how they will be after the full broader revitalization. Those congregation points and destinations will all change.