Emerald Necklace (13th Avenue Greenway)

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by mrcccondor

Also heard they are having complications with how to coordinate construction with maintaining access to the numerous parkaid entrances along 13th. Hotel Arts in particular has cars entering and leaving all the time.

I guess with any utility construction that could be an issue......otherwise they could just sequence it properly. People would just likely be driving on gravel for a couple days then they could frame and pour on one day.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by kw5150

I guess with any utility construction that could be an issue......otherwise they could just sequence it properly. People would just likely be driving on gravel for a couple days then they could frame and pour on one day.

concrete can't be driven on by cars the next day.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

concrete can't be driven on by cars the next day.

Right.......well, they could bridge it maybe? Well, this type of coordination has been done before so it shouldn't be much of a worry. It may involve finding alternate parking for people for a week.

[Elbownian]

The 6-9 months per block pace certainly is discouraging, and I honestly haven't been all that impressed with the completed segments.

I know the development is primarily aimed at beautification, but is there any plan in place to optimize the traffic controls along 13th for pedestrians and cyclists? I've walked the full length from MacLeod to 14th St, and it's a terrible corridor in its present state. The only intersection where 13th Ave has right-of-way is 6th St W (a T-intersection). There's four intersections with full traffic lights (MacLeod N/S, 4th W, 5th W) and three with activated pedestrian lights on the north side only (makes the south side a bit useless). Otherwise, you're faced with free-flowing N-S traffic at every crossing - a bit daunting with the number of drivers here that don't seem to recognize intersections without marked crosswalks as a legitimate pedestrian crossing.

[kw5150]

13 ave Greenway looking good. A great change to the neighborhood......wow. Part of this project is burying those tacky old above ground lines. Good Stuff


By kw5150 at 2012-06-27


By kw5150 at 2012-06-27

[TallBob]

Some growth of those trees and 5-10 years with a few developements (hopefully high-rises) that'll be one nice street scene. Those trees are what maples? Anyone? Ilike that kind of stuff.

[Jimby]

Originally Posted by TallBob

Some growth of those trees and 5-10 years with a few developements (hopefully high-rises) that'll be one nice street scene. Those trees are what maples? Anyone? Ilike that kind of stuff.

no true maples here. I wonder if the trees are green ash?

[Wooster]

Looking good. We need this level of streetscape treatment all over downtown.

[mrcccondor]

Originally Posted by Elbownian

The 6-9 months per block pace certainly is discouraging, and I honestly haven't been all that impressed with the completed segments.

I know the development is primarily aimed at beautification, but is there any plan in place to optimize the traffic controls along 13th for pedestrians and cyclists? I've walked the full length from MacLeod to 14th St, and it's a terrible corridor in its present state. The only intersection where 13th Ave has right-of-way is 6th St W (a T-intersection). There's four intersections with full traffic lights (MacLeod N/S, 4th W, 5th W) and three with activated pedestrian lights on the north side only (makes the south side a bit useless). Otherwise, you're faced with free-flowing N-S traffic at every crossing - a bit daunting with the number of drivers here that don't seem to recognize intersections without marked crosswalks as a legitimate pedestrian crossing.

I walk this stretch almost daily and I've never really had these issues. All un-controlled intersections have pretty low volumes on the N/S roads. The lights actually pretty reasonable wait times for traveling down 13th. 13th doesn't have the right of way, but I wouldn't call it a terrible route.

But your right that setting the priority for 13th would be nice, especially if they consider it a major cycling route. Traffic calming on the N/S roads would go a long way and if done with planters would add a nice touch to the project.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by Jimby

no true maples here. I wonder if the trees are green ash?

Elm!

[Calgarian]

There are some Maple trees in Calgary, they are few and far between though. So yeah I would guess Elm or Poplar trees.

That section looks great, taken just to the south of the Esso carwash I assume?

[TallBob]

Wooster: I agree! (You're probably stunned that comment comming from me) Somehow in new developements some of the parcel to be developed should have some green space instead of these sterile looking concrete plazas.

[devonb]

My street in Crescent Heights is pretty much all maples, but there are hundreds of different maples. I'm constantly pulling mini maples out all the time. We have a few Manitoba maples (they're the ones that have the helicopter seeds).

[DoubleK]

What an amazing achievement that will look better and better over time.

Excellent use of tax dollars.

[Sands]

Looking forward to this summer's construction time.

[Chadillaccc]

Didn't someone post last week that construction on the next phase has resumed?

[Spring2008]

Looks like they've already completed the 2nd to 4th street sw portion. They're also working on the Macleod portion, hope they extend west to at least 5th street right away and not wait until fall.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Looks like they've already completed the 2nd to 4th street sw portion. They're also working on the Macleod portion, hope they extend west to at least 5th street right away and not wait until fall.

Is there any actual plans to continue toward the West Beltline? I know that was the dream years ago when they started, but the lack of momentum and plans beyond 4th Street suggests to me they have either given up or put the rest on the backburner.

The part that is finished is super nice, I wish they just did a bit faster of a job that 1 or 2 blocks per year (I know the flood messed up last years schedule a bit). That would put the entire strip into Sunalta at a completion date of 2021....

[Wooster]

Originally Posted by MasterG

Is there any actual plans to continue toward the West Beltline? I know that was the dream years ago when they started, but the lack of momentum and plans beyond 4th Street suggests to me they have either given up or put the rest on the backburner.

The part that is finished is super nice, I wish they just did a bit faster of a job that 1 or 2 blocks per year (I know the flood messed up last years schedule a bit). That would put the entire strip into Sunalta at a completion date of 2021....

West of 4th (or 5th) 13th is already perhaps the nicest tree line avenue in Beltline. No need for much physical intervention - perhaps some interpretive stuff related to heritage and open space - but in my view, don't fix what's not broken. Crappier corridors like 8th Street, 10th Ave, 14th St etc, need much more attention.

[Surrealplaces]

I walked a few of the blocks on Friday afternoon and was impressed with it. It's a nice comfortable walking area that's sunny and open for most of it. I was also impressed by how many people were using it....even east of 1st Street SW quite a few people using it.

What was totally impressive though was Central Memorial Park! Full of people and a hive of activity.....it felt like I was in Bryant Park.