Transitway plan nears reality
17th Avenue S.E. businesses excited
Long-awaited plans to create a transit, pedestrianand bicycle-friendly corridor serving one of the city’s most culturally diverse shopping strips seem so close to becoming reality, businesses can almost taste it.
All the restaurants, specialty grocery marts, and other International Avenue businesses are counting on the future 17th Avenue S.E. transitway to revitalize the corridor, promoting a more sustainable form of urban development.
The transportation project aims to improve the corridor between Deerfoot Trail and 68th Street S.E.
Plans include buses and bus stations, bike lanes, wider sidewalks and boulevards to improve access and encourage pedestrians to visit.
“We’re finally at a real pinnacle in our work and this is a very key piece. We’re 100 per cent behind it and we’ve been pushing for it. We couldn’t be more happy,” said Alison Karim-mcswiney of the International Avenue business association.
“This community is so behind this project and we’re so excited for what it can do for this whole area and the city as a whole. We have been waiting for this for well over 20-plus years, and it’s finally coming to fruition.”
The project is contingent on funding availability.
The estimated price tag for all phases is $300 million.
But much of the money, earmarked from the province’s Greentrip funding, won’t be known until at least December, when the city reviews the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Plan.
The city’s transit and transportation committee will discuss the plan at a meeting Wednesday. The improvements are said to have the potential to revitalize the communities, improve public transit service and boost economic development.
“It should be in the next five years you’re going to start seeing some major changes,” said Karim-mcswiney. “We know this is what we need to do to make the revitalization happen. It’s much needed and we’re very pleased with the city moving forward on this.”
If approved, the first phase would unfold in Forest Lawn, between 26th Street S.E. and 36th Street S.E., followed by 36th to Hubalta Road. The cost is estimated to be $94 million for that first phase alone.
The entire project extends from Inglewood-ramsay past Stoney Trail.
The city is in discussions with the province to make use of the province’s Greentrip program and in transportation’s 2012-14 business plan and budget. The multi-phase infrastructure project has the potential to trigger the revitalization of communities around 17th Avenue S.E.
Specifically, plans call for improved transit reliability and travel time, and a significant upgrade in a pedestrian-cycling network to help reduce car dependency for area residents. Other phases include segments at Bow River-deerfoot, Canadian Pacific-blackfoot and parkway, which stretches from Hubalta Road through Stoney Trail into future areas.
Greentrip, a transit program announced by the province in 2008, was designed to dedicate $960 million for Calgary transit projects, with the city putting up $1 for every $2 from the province.