Calgary Roads

[McMahon]

Just a quick question.

I was randomly looking on Google Earth and I came across a few large homes located in the midst of Saddleridge. I guess some people refused to sell? Anyway, the intersection of Saddlecrest Boulevard and 89th Avenue looks pretty weird. Having never actually been there... is it actually like that, or is it an error on Google? It goes from a two lane road with sidewalks immediately into what looks like a one lane gravel road. If it's legitimate, is it because they eventually plan on buying the land and extending the road?

[You Need A Thneed]

I imagine that one day those acreages will be redeveloped. There's a bunch of acreage lots in the area. There was an acreage in the middle of Pineridge that remained there until just a few years ago when it was finally redeveloped.

I imagine some developer will buy up lots as they come available, until there's only a couple left, then maybe negotiate with the owners for the last ones.

That intersection looks like a driveway & gate to a private yard, not like a regular intersection at all.

The "Flights" Development is going to be built on three acreage lots elsewhere in Saddleridge.

[mersar]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

I imagine some developer will buy up lots as they come available, until there's only a couple left, then maybe negotiate with the owners for the last ones.

That intersection looks like a driveway & gate to a private yard, not like a regular intersection at all.

Pretty much. The road was built from the intersection to the property line on that side, and even has a sign indicating that it is 89th avenue, but the edge of the paved road has a locked gate across it and I believe also a sign indicating to access from 68th Street. I figured it was pretty odd looking the first time I drove through that area.

[McMahon]

Thanks for the replies fellas!

Going back to the discussion on road names. I'm looking at a 2005 map and the road at the southern edge of Chapparal is named Dawes Road, which if I remember correctly was the name of a small hamlet/village in that area way back in the early days (and may even have existed until fairly recently for all I know). Anyway, of course, now it's called 194th Avenue. So the process of renaming roads with historic names to numbered roads didn't stop in 1904. And it's still pretty annoying.

On a related note, does anybody know what has happened to the road names in Langdon when it was annexed by Calgary. They had a 1st-5th Street there, which presumably wouldn't be allowed to stay in place.

[mersar]

Not too surprising about Dawes Road disappearing personally, as the only thing left that even uses that name is the gravel pits along there.

Langdon is still a ways out (10+ kilometers) from the existing city limit and hasn't been annexed yet so nothing will have changed.

[McMahon]

Oops, my bad. I was thinking of Shepard, and actually wikipedia provides the answer: "According to MapArt's Calgary & Southern Alberta Street Guide 2009 Edition, Shepard's numbered streets, previously labelled 1st Street through 5th Street, have been relabelled 85th-89th Street S.E. to come into line with Calgary's street-numbering system."

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by mersar

also a sign indicating to access from 68th Street.

Of course, that sign will have to be removed when 68th Street closes in the area, as it has already closed south of 80th Street.

[mersar]

True. When that occurs though is yet to be seen, but I'd say probably sooner rather then later as there isn't planned to be any access to Airport Trail / 96th Ave from 68th, rather its planned to be from 60th which currently ends at 86th Ave NE. Of course its always possible they'll just cut 68th off north of Saddlecrest Blvd and leave the piece in the middle for the short term.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

... Also, the Airport Trail to 96th Ave connection being built this summer will help that situation out, since people will be able to get between beddington and Deerfoot via Harvest Hills Blvd and 96th Ave.

So that's the construction I see whenever I take the Airport Trail exit from SB Deerfoot! When is it expected to be completed? Is there a link I can access to see the design, more info, etc?

[Stang]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

So that's the construction I see whenever I take the Airport Trail exit from SB Deerfoot! When is it expected to be completed? Is there a link I can access to see the design, more info, etc?

That link should help out, but I have never found getting from Beddington (where my folks live) to the airport that annoying anyway. I know a lot of people complain about the Beddington/Deerfoot interchange, but I don't share the same hate.

I simply go southbound on Deerfoot, up 64th Avenue, back down onto Deerfoot to Airport Trail. Takes about a minute or two longer than if I could go north on Deerfoot from Beddington.

Of course, 96th Ave connecting Harvest Hills Blvd to Airport Trail will be pretty awesome for those in Harvest/Country Hills.

[mersar]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

So that's the construction I see whenever I take the Airport Trail exit from SB Deerfoot! When is it expected to be completed? Is there a link I can access to see the design, more info, etc?

The city has the page from the study still up, don't see a page for the actual construction of it though. They did an interim plan which is getting built, plus the long term ultimate plan that they figure will be needed. The link is needed before they procede with development of the Aurora Business park on the city owned land south of 96th (the road network for which shows on the ultimate plan along with where the future LRT station(s) may be located)

[sim]

Originally Posted by mersar

The city has the page from the study still up, don't see a page for the actual construction of it though. They did an interim plan which is getting built, plus the long term ultimate plan that they figure will be needed. The link is needed before they procede with development of the Aurora Business park on the city owned land south of 96th (the road network for which shows on the ultimate plan along with where the future LRT station(s) may be located)

That is also where the planned suburban station on the HSR connection would be built. With the completion of the 96th Ave, the plan, at least from Alberta Highspeed Rail, is that there would then be a shuttle bus from there to the airport. This, would thus, eliminate the need for the LRT station that the link you posted shows, which I really hope is something that happens anyway because no way should that line be allowed to be built up Deerfoot.

[mersar]

Looks like Crowchild eastbound past Crowfoot will be up to 3 lanes in the next day or two, they've removed all the barriers and had a street cleaner running back and forth, and were painting the temporary line markings when I went past at noon.

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by mersar

Looks like Crowchild eastbound past Crowfoot will be up to 3 lanes in the next day or two, they've removed all the barriers and had a street cleaner running back and forth, and were painting the temporary line markings when I went past at noon.

Good, and hopefully they will increase the speed limit as well.

That said, they will have to do some major grinding and paving of that whole stretch to get the road to what it needs to be. I'm assuming that will happen over the summer (?).

[mersar]

Yeah, probably close each direction overnight one night and do it. I'd hope before the station opens. Theres also a small part of Crowfoot Circle that really needs to be ground down and repaved, hopefully they do it as well before

[mersar]

Crowchild Trail NW

[YYCguys]

City Council has once again postponed the decision to close Rocky Ridge Road and will consider it again on May 11th. Why all the delays? Personally, since I will be moving to Royal Oak in the fall, I am a proponent of keeping the road open but still finding ways to accomodate the Stoney/Crowchild interchange AND the XRT.

I do have a problem with one of the reasons the RR/RO Community Association gives in favour of keeping the road open: that Cochranites will be using the station there instead of Crowfoot. I find that hard to believe. I am sure that Crowfoot, being a regional centre, will have more Park n Ride spaces than the Rocky Ridge/Tuscany station. It was designed with the Cochranites in mind.

Further info regarding the Community Association's stance on this can be found at http://www.r3c3.blogspot.com

[mersar]

Yeah, I saw the community groups 'top 10 reasons' to keep it open that they put out the other day. Fortunately (likely after my continual pointing out the flaws in their numbers) they are no longer claiming excessively exagerated numbers of people from Cochrane will use it, just that some will. Personally I'll drive to Crowfoot if I ever needed to. They also keep inflating the other numbers, such as their supposed $1000/year more in driving costs per household if the closure goes through. Then theres the LDS temple numbers, which I've heard second hand from someone who is a member of the LDS church, are at least an order of magnitude out of reality

Fortunately it sounds like the city has put the 11th as the last date as otherwise it will start pushing into the schedule.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

City Council has once again postponed the decision to close Rocky Ridge Road and will consider it again on May 11th. Why all the delays? Personally, since I will be moving to Royal Oak in the fall, I am a proponent of keeping the road open but still finding ways to accomodate the Stoney/Crowchild interchange AND the XRT.

I do have a problem with one of the reasons the RR/RO Community Association gives in favour of keeping the road open: that Cochranites will be using the station there instead of Crowfoot. I find that hard to believe. I am sure that Crowfoot, being a regional centre, will have more Park n Ride spaces than the Rocky Ridge/Tuscany station. It was designed with the Cochranites in mind.

Further info regarding the Community Association's stance on this can be found at http://www.r3c3.blogspot.com

There's not going to be any access to the park and ride lots from Crowchild on either side. There is easy access to the park and ride lots at Crowfoot. People are going to spend 5 minutes driving through communities, when Crowfoot is just 2 more minutes down the road? I think not.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

I do have a problem with one of the reasons the RR/RO Community Association gives in favour of keeping the road open: that Cochranites will be using the station there instead of Crowfoot. I find that hard to believe. I am sure that Crowfoot, being a regional centre, will have more Park n Ride spaces than the Rocky Ridge/Tuscany station. It was designed with the Cochranites in mind.

This makes absolutely NO sense whatsoever. Keeping the road open will, if anything, give BETTER access to the XRT PnR lots. Closing it means a very long drive to get into them, and as one who drives by it just about every day, believe me when I say Crowfoot is 100x easier to park at. The RRROCA (say it as a word, it's fun!) folks have this completely backwards. Closing the road means LESS traffic into RR/RO. Period. That's their whole argument, isn't it? That the closure makes traffic patterns a pain in the ass?

Good to hear of another forumer moving in. RO is one of the nicest new suburbs in the city (but I'm biased ) in terms of transit access, freeflowing roads, proximity to the mountains, shopping, you name it. And everything happening to date, and for the next 3 years, will only make it better.

Except the closure; it's really too bad that there's no affordable alternative. It's really going to screw with traffic. Having 2 traffic signals within 200m of each other, followed by a 4-way 150m later (Royal Birch Blvd) - someone should be shot for such shitty planning. But, such is life in suburbia. At least we don't have to put up with a kilometer-long detour like the folks in Tuscany, again entirely due to stupid, stupid planning.