Hillhurst balks at ‘terrifying’ plan to tear down pedestrian bridge
Critics concerned street-level crosswalk too dangerous for notorious speedway
The planned removal of the pedestrian bridge linking the east and west sides of Hillhurst is raising safety issues in the northwest community.
The city gave notice last month that it will soon demolish the walkway over 14th Street N.W. and replace it with an at-grade crosswalk.
But speeding drivers is a significant worry for residents, with motorists barrelling down the hill under the bridge — and vehicles even striking the bridge on occasion — on the artery that cuts Hillhurst in half.
“This is terrifying,” longtime area resident David Toews said on Twitter. “We can’t stop drivers from hitting the pedestrian bridge, so we’ll make people walk in front of cars instead. People already ignore the speed limit coming down that hill, how will a lower limit help w/o traffic calming?”
The city plans to replace the aging walkway with an at-grade crossing accessible to all users. Signal work and speed-limit reduction signage will be placed in the coming days.
Shortly thereafter, construction of the crosswalk will begin at south of the bridge where 7th Avenue meets 14th Street N.W., followed by demolition of the pedway.
The city said it’s committed to completing the project by the end of August, in time for the upcoming school year.
“My main thought is that I’m glad they’re doing something about that, because that bridge is decrepit and inaccessible, especially for people who have trouble with stairs,” Toews said Sunday. “I’m not opposed to a level crossing there. I just think the speed ... is the thing that needs to be addressed because cars really fly down that hill.
“If we’re addressing that crossing, then it’s time to address some of the other issues there, as well.”
Ward 7 Coun. Druh Farrell said conversations about speeders on 14th Street are happening, adding that the city’s transportation department knows that installing a crosswalk without design changes wouldn’t be safe.
Planners are exploring options now, Farrell said, including the possibility of a future pedestrian bridge over 14th Street, adding that the city is talking with the owners of the Riley Park Health Centre on 8th Avenue, where the potential exists for such a structure with improved accessibility.
But that comes with a $6-million price.
“There’s a concern if we can provide safe crossing when the speeds aren’t conducive to safety,” Farrell said. “It’s an important link for children walking to and from the Hillhurst school, and we need to encourage that they’re safe when they do so.”
The city intends to work with the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association on solutions for safety in the neighbourhood.
“There are a number of things we can do, and the transportation planners are looking at different options,” Farrell said. “The bridge is in really bad shape — it’s not accessible and it’s at the end of its life, so we need to look at an alternative.
“No. 1 is, we will not be putting in a crosswalk where it’s not safe, so the question being explored right now is how to make it safe, and we’re just at the beginning of that process.”
With the project, which will also see rotating lane closures during its duration and a full overnight road closure when the bridge is demolished, comes a permanent speed-limit reduction to 50 km/h along 14th Street.
A city administration report says reducing Calgary’s neighbourhood speed limit to 30 km/h would cut up to 270 casualty collisions per year and reduce up to $74.3 million in societal costs, while 40 km/h chops upwards of 140 casualties and $38.5 million. A mix of 30 and 50 amounts to 140 fewer casualties and savings of $43.7 million.
“That 14th Street is a big, wide road, and that interchange at 14th (Street) and 16th Avenue feels like a freeway interchange, so coming off it (heading south), you feel like you should be driving fast down that hill, but you’re suddenly in a place where pedestrians are trying to cross,” Toews said. “It’s very much residential around it.”
Farrell agreed that 14th Street is “a fast street and not particularly pedestrian oriented.”
“It’s a notorious speed zone. We often have street racing on 14th Street. It’s at the bottom of a hill where it’s nice and wide, so it’s delicious conditions for speeding. And so there would need to be some design interventions in order to keep it safe.”