Calgary Roads

[AirGuitarChampion]

Question for anyone that knows...

Often around interchanges, large intersections I'll see a group of about 3-4 cars parked in the median or on the shoulder with 1-2 people in each. Looks like they are taking a survey or writing down info or...??? Doubt they're counting traffic, there are machines for that.

Well this morning they were all parked in the transit only HOV lane from NB Crowchild to EB Bow/9th ave. Just on the north side of 17th ave bridge. It really messed things up.

[mersar]

Traffic counts are done using machines, usually these people are doing surveys of things like number of people in vehicles or how many are wearing seatbelts or the type of vehicles (a former neighbor of mine does this type of work, and my brother and dad have done some stuff for him doing exactly that)

[hulkrogan]

Traffic counts are still regularily done by humans. Usually at an interchange they'll each be in charge of different ramps when taking the counts.

[TETT2]

Originally Posted by mersar

Traffic counts are done using machines, usually these people are doing surveys of things like number of people in vehicles or how many are wearing seatbelts or the type of vehicles (a former neighbor of mine does this type of work, and my brother and dad have done some stuff for him doing exactly that)

Those guys in the cars are counting using blue boxes, my buddy used to do that as his summer job. They do a combination or human counts and road tubes.

[mersar]

Heres some good news:

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CITYBEAT - CITY OF CALGARY PRESS RELEASE
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Calgary, June 21, 2009 – In partnership with The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), The City of Calgary, Roads has reopened the Langevin Bridge to traffic this morning at 9 a.m.

The Langevin Bridge was closed to vehicles for major utility upgrades and an intersection rebuild at the south end of the bridge.

The City of Calgary and CMLC would like to thank Calgarians for their patience during this closure.

[mooky]

Apparently the one month closure, and now the new road alignment is making it a b@tch for drop-in center volunteers to get to the DI as the reported in the Calgary Scum today.

Though the left off the bridge onto the new portion of Riverfront Avenue is still closed as of this morning with barricades up, and its not dirt, its paved, at least the parts I can see, but I haven't wandered over under the fly-over yet to see if they've connected it over there. I know they simply wanted to get the connector to the right onto Riverfront west-bound and onto 4th avenue reopen as soon as possible, which they accomplished.

Shelter hurt by bridge closure

By JENNA MCMURRAY, SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 22nd June 2009, 3:06am

Though it's open once again, the month-long closure of the Langevin Bridge to accommodate construction work has turned the area around a nearby homeless shelter into a ghost town.

Louise Gallagher, spokeswoman for the Calgary Drop-In Centre on the south end of the bridge, said the closure created serious access issues for people trying to reach the facility.

"The fact there's been no traffic has really changed the atmosphere -- I know it sounds odd but it's really depressing," she said.

The Drop-In Centre has suffered because finding a way to access the building without the bridge has proven to be too much of a hassle for some volunteers.

"We've had donors and volunteers who just haven't come in because it's too difficult for them to get here with the roadblocks," said Gallagher.

The bridge, which connects Memorial Dr. to 4 Ave. S.E. and carries roughly 15,000 vehicles per day, was closed last month for construction on the East Village redevelopment project headed up by the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.

Despite the bridge re-opening yesterday, Gallagher fears the coinciding permanent closure of 4 St. S.E. will pack an even bigger punch to the shelter.

"The challenge of accessing the building remains," she said.

"It's still very concerning."

Beginning today, the new way to access the centre will be on a gravel road heading southeast from Riverfront Ave.

It's not ideal, said Gallagher, but only time will tell if accessibility levels can be brought back to normal.

For more information and a map of the new access route is posted on the centre's website at www.cdics.com.

JENNA.MCMURRAY@SUNMEDIA.CA

Calgary Sun

[You Need A Thneed]

The ramp from Metis Trail Northbound behind the superstore directly to Westwinds Drive (by McKnight Westwinds station) has been barricaded off, and looks like it is meant to be a permenant closure.

My guess is that this was done for safety reasons, as people would try to cut across the Northbound to Eastbound lane to try and get onto that ramp. I know both my wife and I have been cut off at least once by someone trying to do that. I think for some reason, people think that the turning traffic has a yield sign or something.

Repainting the lines on the detour road would really help, as they are pretty much non-existant in that section.

[mersar]

Well considering that ramp was on the cutting block once the interchange goes in anyways, not too surprising that its been closed. Has any work restarted on the actual interchange yet, or still nothing?

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by mersar

Well considering that ramp was on the cutting block once the interchange goes in anyways, not too surprising that its been closed. Has any work restarted on the actual interchange yet, or still nothing?

Still nothing.

[SmokWawelski]

Today I received some mail from the city of Calgary. It indicated that they are so sorrrrrrryyyyyyyy(not) but they will have to close the Rocky Ridge Road to Crowchild Trail. It will, according to the pamphlet, close spring of 2010. Ohh and in city style, they sent out the brochure so I could get it today June 25th, 2009 to let me know that the open house for the XRT will be held on June 17, 2009. Can't wait for the next municipal election.......

[DizzyEdge]

Here's a question for those more in the know about road/tunnel costs.

What might it cost, to turn the top photo, into the bottom photo:



As a part 2 to the question:

What about also trenching the tracks between just north of 17th ave SE to between 9th ave and 15th St (about 300 m) which would probably require at least 400 m of bypass track while it's being done.

[Stang]

^^^ OK - I know nothing about tunnelling costs.

But I have to ask: why? I don't see major improvements to the roads or rail in the area, and it would be hugely expensive.

And if your answer involves a certain nearby heritage site, I'm even more interested. But I understand if you want to keep your cards close to your chest.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

What might it cost, to turn the top photo, into the bottom photo:

I don't know, how much did it cost you?

Seriously though, doing either of those two things would require a detour to be built while it was under construction. To build the detour, you likely have to expropriate properties. 9th Ave would have to be raised, that adds another wrinkle to the detour work.

Pretty expensive, I would think.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

I don't know, how much did it cost you?

Seriously though, doing either of those two things would require a detour to be built while it was under construction. To build the detour, you likely have to expropriate properties. 9th Ave would have to be raised, that adds another wrinkle to the detour work.

Pretty expensive, I would think.

One plus is the detour could take the old route of Blackfoot, which was down 19th st,then down through that gap north of 22 ave.

The reason is blackfoot / the tracks sort of divide Inglewood into 3 sections, and it would be nice to tunnel it so that 9th ave and the properties north and south of it have more of a continuous flow straight through. I suppose a redesigned underpass could be a ghetto option that might create some of the benefits of an underground blackfoot.

[yeeg]

Maybe its just me but I dont see the purpose in a tunnel at that location.

[Oliver Klozov]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

...
The reason is blackfoot / the tracks sort of divide Inglewood into 3 sections, and it would be nice to tunnel it so that 9th ave and the properties north and south of it have more of a continuous flow straight through. I suppose a redesigned underpass could be a ghetto option that might create some of the benefits of an underground blackfoot.

Well you can forget lowering the rail line and putting it in a tunnel; it is too close to Alyth Yard and required distances to keep the grade at a minimum aren't there. If you can't lower the tracks, what is the point of lowering Blackfoot?

If you were to try and cover the tracks and Blackfoot with arched CMP culverts and landscape the top area into a park, you would still be looking at nearly a billion dollars. Plus you could not run 9 Ave over it, not enough structural capacity. Cut-and-cover tunnels would be far more expensive although you could build over them.

Better park this idea in the 'If money isn't an issue' thread.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

One plus is the detour could take the old route of Blackfoot, which was down 19th st,then down through that gap north of 22 ave.

Yeah, I just saw that while looking at Google Maps, that would be a relatively easy detour route.

[srperrycgy]

Just got home from another epic (as you kids would say) walk. Part of the route went through Bow Crescent NW. This road is one of the WORST in the city! No sidewalks, no curbs, and the pavement reminds me of a rural town. Is there a good reason why this road with fairly nice homes looks horrid? Does Dale Hodges give a crap about this part of his ward?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

Just got home from another epic (as you kids would say) walk. Part of the route went through Bow Crescent NW. This road is one of the WORST in the city! No sidewalks, no curbs, and the pavement reminds me of a rural town. Is there a good reason why this road with fairly nice homes looks horrid? Does Dale Hodges give a crap about this part of his ward?

I'd say it's more that the local residents enjoy the "rural" feel of their mini-acreages.

Believe me, if the people cared, they could get their road done up better. But a surprising number of people who live like that prefer it, and actively fight against the city bringing things up to modern standards. I've seen it with sidewalk-less streets, gravel roads, drainage ditches (as opposed to proper storm sewers), you name it.

This isn't some neglected inner city hellhole. Those houses cost a fuckton of money, and the people pay a LOT of property taxes.

[srperrycgy]

Agreed, but still.... This section shouldn't be part of the pathway network until it is properly paved. This was my first time though this area anyway. Just venting.