Calgary Public Transit II

[fusili]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

How can you forget something you didn't know in the first place?

Our business never received anything in the mail. No one in our office heard about the open houses.

Hmmm.. don't know. Maybe it was just so long ago people forgot about it, or just chucked the mail into recycling. It was more than a year ago, so I can understand if it wasn't on people's radar.

Happens all the time. People say "why wasn't I informed?" when mailouts went out, there were ads in newletters and boards were up in the community about the open house. Then 4 people show up to the open house and everyone else complains they were not notified.

I figure, just put the lanes in place, they are only there for select periods during the day anyway, and see how they work.

The risk-aversion in this City is at epic levels. If we can't put in temporary, non-separated bus lanes on a stretch of road that serves three of the highest ridership routes in our city, we have a serious problem.

(Sorry, 5seconds, the comments are not aimed at you, just the first paragraph).

[5seconds]

Originally Posted by fusili

(Sorry, 5seconds, the comments are not aimed at you, just the first paragraph).

No worries. I generally agree with you on this: most people don't notice or care until something is implemented. I'm just curious about the notice because I actively look for stuff like that, and I didn't see a thing.

I also agree that if we don't try anything new, we won't know what works. Might as well try.

[Radley77]

The only thing that I thought was odd about this was inclusion of bikes in the bus lane. Not sure why high occupancy vehicles would also be a consideration for use of this lane. 8 Ave also has only one stop sign so it could function as an alternate route for cyclists (and definitely so during the 20 hours of the day that are offpeak).

[5seconds]

Originally Posted by Radley77

8 Ave also has only one stop sign so it could function as an alternate route for cyclists (and definitely so during the 20 hours of the day that are offpeak).

Especially if they are serious about the Fort Calgary cycle bridge over the Elbow. It could connect (more or less) directly to 8th.

[Full Mountain]

Originally Posted by Radley77

The only thing that I thought was odd about this was inclusion of bikes in the bus lane. Not sure why high occupancy vehicles would also be a consideration for use of this lane. 8 Ave also has only one stop sign so it could function as an alternate route for cyclists (and definitely so during the 20 hours of the day that are offpeak).

I think the majority of the people use the 8th ave route anyway, I know I did when I lived over beyond blackfoot

I think the risk with not including cyclists on the sign is that you'll get people tring to ride between the two lanes making the whole situation worse, just a thought

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by fusili

Hmmm.. don't know. Maybe it was just so long ago people forgot about it, or just chucked the mail into recycling. It was more than a year ago, so I can understand if it wasn't on people's radar.

Happens all the time. People say "why wasn't I informed?" when mailouts went out, there were ads in newletters and boards were up in the community about the open house. Then 4 people show up to the open house and everyone else complains they were not notified.

I figure, just put the lanes in place, they are only there for select periods during the day anyway, and see how they work.

The risk-aversion in this City is at epic levels. If we can't put in temporary, non-separated bus lanes on a stretch of road that serves three of the highest ridership routes in our city, we have a serious problem.

(Sorry, 5seconds, the comments are not aimed at you, just the first paragraph).

Does anyone know if the plans were in the mailout, or just invites to an open house. I could see if it was invites to an open house then 99% would probably not go, and then never hear about the plans.

[freeweed]

Are side streets so unparkable in Inglewood that this is a crisis? Or are people finally so lazy that a half a block walk is going to deter them from patronizing a business?

Personally, removing the "high street" parking would ENCOURAGE me to go down to these places. Because the traffic might actually move a little better, and I won't be spending 15 minutes waiting for some jackass to learn how to parallel park for the first time (thinking of 17th Ave here). I remember when they did this in Osborne Village in Winnipeg - people FREAKED about the loss of 10-15 parking spots (people always do), but it made it 10x easier to move about the area. But you did have to walk 100 feet or so once you parked (the horror!).

[5seconds]

The parking isn't changing in Inglewood. I think the only reason people are thinking it's a bad idea is because it restricts 9th ave to a single lane for private vehicles.

The big choke point looks like it could be the turns from 9th ave to 12th street. The turning lanes are not very long, and there are no advance greens for turning off of 9th, so if there are lots of cars turning, it could back up the only private-vehicle lane (since you would not be allowed to go into the curb lane to get around any back-ups, like you can right now) Not sure how much this will really happen, but it's a distinct possibility, and something the city should watch. If it starts to happen, I guess an advance green in the rush hour direction might help.

[GoflamesGo]

Just saw a picture of some proposed subway line in Toronto, or maybe it's already there, that was a "loop" line. Does anyone know if there is any talk about Calgary having a similar line. Maybe 16th ave to barlow down to 17th se, to 17th sw, maybe up 14th st sw?

[Ramsayfarian]

The only thing I'm upset about is losing my express lane. The curb lane was vastly under utilized during rush hour. As it was previously mentioned, the biggest issue is going to be left hand turns and maybe right hand turns from 9th onto 12 st.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Are side streets so unparkable in Inglewood that this is a crisis? Or are people finally so lazy that a half a block walk is going to deter them from patronizing a business?

Personally, removing the "high street" parking would ENCOURAGE me to go down to these places. Because the traffic might actually move a little better, and I won't be spending 15 minutes waiting for some jackass to learn how to parallel park for the first time (thinking of 17th Ave here). I remember when they did this in Osborne Village in Winnipeg - people FREAKED about the loss of 10-15 parking spots (people always do), but it made it 10x easier to move about the area. But you did have to walk 100 feet or so once you parked (the horror!).

A good quote from Donald Shoup (I am probably doing a terrible paraphrase): If the place is desirable, people are willing to park a few blocks away and walk, or pay for parking. If the place is ugly, people want to park right out front and it better be free.

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Are side streets so unparkable in Inglewood that this is a crisis?

Maybe, is it permit parking which would restrict anyone but residents from parking there?

[CalgaryTransit guy]

The city needs funding first of all. Second of all, the North-Central LRT is NOT going to be built untill beyond 2023, which might change because remember in 2002 when the City updated on the McKnight-Westwinds station, and it said that it wouldn't be built untill beyond 2010? Well, they were wrong. It was built in 2007, 3 years before the city WAS SUPPOSED to start planning for the Station. So, the future lines will be built earlier than you think.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by MichaelS

Maybe, is it permit parking which would restrict anyone but residents from parking there?

Good point, hadn't considered that. I haven't found permit parking to be too bad of an issue in Calgary but there are the odd areas where I scratch my head.

Which of course just opens the whole debate about requiring (or not) properties to have sufficient parking spaces...

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by CalgaryTransit guy

The city needs funding first of all. Second of all, the North-Central LRT is NOT going to be built untill beyond 2023, which might change because remember in 2002 when the City updated on the McKnight-Westwinds station, and it said that it wouldn't be built untill beyond 2010? Well, they were wrong. It was built in 2007, 3 years before the city WAS SUPPOSED to start planning for the Station. So, the future lines will be built earlier than you think.

What will determine when the NCLRT gets built is the SELRT, that is the most important piece of transit infrastructure in the city (maybe along with the SW ring road), and it's probably the most expensive as well.

[elconsulto]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

What will determine when the NCLRT gets built is the SELRT, that is the most important piece of transit infrastructure in the city (maybe along with the SW ring road), and it's probably the most expensive as well.

Would it be feasible to build them both to half length instead and then add stations as funding becomes available, or is it more important to reach into the furthest suburbs in the SE? (Just looking at a map it seems that the majority of the population in the SE line is concentrated in the furthest south most area)

[Cage]

Originally Posted by elconsulto

Would it be feasible to build them both to half length instead and then add stations as funding becomes available, or is it more important to reach into the furthest suburbs in the SE? (Just looking at a map it seems that the majority of the population in the SE line is concentrated in the furthest south most area)

1/2 length build is feasible for the NCLRT only if center street option is utilied. For the SELRT there is no feasible 1/2 length build because there is no major population center between downtonwn and Richmond/Douglas Dale.

To get the SELRT built sooner than 2023 some other big project has to come off the list. SWRR comes to mind a project that if dropped could get fund reallocation from the province to build the SELRT. I doubt even another big oil boom would get SELRT built, its just too big a project that needs to be fully completed on openning day.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by Cage

1/2 length build is feasible for the NCLRT only if center street option is utilied. For the SELRT there is no feasible 1/2 length build because there is no major population center between downtonwn and Richmond/Douglas Dale.

To get the SELRT built sooner than 2023 some other big project has to come off the list. SWRR comes to mind a project that if dropped could get fund reallocation from the province to build the SELRT. I doubt even another big oil boom would get SELRT built, its just too big a project that needs to be fully completed on openning day.

What sort of savings might be had only building stations at the major population centers, building the other ones later?

[Calgarian]

The biggest savings for the SELRT would be to delay the Tunnel portions and build the line down to the south hospital.

Is the SELRT supposed to go under 10th as well? the city's website only refers to the future 2nd street subway.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

The biggest savings for the SELRT would be to delay the Tunnel portions and build the line down to the south hospital.

Is the SELRT supposed to go under 10th as well? the city's website only refers to the future 2nd street subway.

There were two options. One was to tunnel just after 1st SE, the other tunnels just before the turn onto 2nd street SW. You can't tunnel before then, because you would hit the south tunnel between Stampede and 7th. The shorter tunnel section is the preferred option, but there is a potential for an underground station at 10th and Centre street if we are willing.