A permanent, automated lane reversal system on Calgary’s Memorial Drive will take effect on Tuesday.
The operation with overhead lane-control signals will kick into gear on Memorial Drive between 4 Street and Edmonton Trail N.E. on Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.
The city wants drivers to mind the changes: now there will be dual westbound left turns into the downtown core all times of day — except for Monday to Friday between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. when dual eastbound left turns will be provided to Edmonton Trail.
“We are asking motorists to exercise caution while driving through the area, obey all traffic control devices, and watch for gates that will open and close the dual turn lanes by time of day,” said Pat Grisak, the City of Calgary’s senior leader of operational improvements, on Monday.
In 2016, the city installed a temporary lane-reversal system, using traffic cones in a daily set up, at Memorial Drive and Edmonton Trail — but that hasn’t been running for more than a year while maintenance crews worked on the Reconciliation Bridge.
“What we’re going to do until the end of September is augment the automated system with the temporary setup with the cones and things so that motorists can become familiar with the automated system,” Grisak said of making the transition easier for drivers.
Grisak said there have not been any issues with the system yet, and he doesn’t foresee any.
“Memorial Drive in that area is a very, very heavily travelled route — approximately 100,000 vehicles per day just east of Edmonton Trail — so this system will reduce congestion, reduce delays for motorists using this section of Memorial Drive,” he said.
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