The City of Calgary finished its study on potential upgrades to Crowchild Trail, and if approved, there will be changes as soon as spring 2017.
The study, which wrapped in December 2016, focused on Crowchild Trail between 24 Avenue N.W. and 17 Avenue S.W. Recommendations will go before a special transportation committee on April 19.
Short-term plans include alleviating traffic on the Bow River bridge.
“What we are able to achieve is an added lane across the Bow River bridge in each direction and, with some adjustments to the ramps and that kind of thing, make some improvements right away to add some continuous lanes onto Crowchild Trail,” project manager Feisal Lakha said Thursday. “But also, make some modest improvement to mobility and access both along and across Crowchild Trail for people who walk, bike, and take transit.”
Widening of the bridges and changes to the intersections between 17 Avenue S.W. and 5 Avenue N.W. are expected to take place over the next few years if plans are approved.
Lakha said medium- and long-term plans are focusing on how Crowchild can accommodate continued growth in Calgary over years to come.
“Some of the benefits and achievements of the plans are removing the signals from Crowchild Trail in areas that we have been able to take advantage of, some of the feedback that we heard from Calgarians to help maintain and enhance sport and community along Crowchild Trail by improving noise mitigation strategies, noise, walls, that kind of thing.”
Watch the below video from the City of Calgary on the Crowchild Trail plans:
— With files from Global News