City opens cycle lane today before network launch
When the 12th Avenue S. cycle track opens to two- wheeled traffic early Tuesday morning, city staff will hand out brochures along the route to explain the new lights, signs and markings to commuters.
Some, like a red- yellow- green signal with bike logos, should be intuitive enough. But some supplementary literature could benefit the cyclists and drivers not yet acquainted with the green boxes with multiple turning signs painted in white.
When the Herald asked transportation staff to explain what’s called a “two- staged turn box” to reporters, it took some brief conferencing among the officials, and more time to coach a communications aide how to demonstrate its use.
As much standing around and pointing ensued, a food truck driver turning past the crowd hollered to them: “Because that’s not confusing as s---.”
It will take some time for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to figure everything out as the first of the temporary barrier- separated bike lanes opens sometime around 6 a. m. Tuesday, said Don Mulligan, Calgary’s transportation planning director.
“All of those things are new, and there’s going to be an adjustment period,” he said.
Summer staff will act as cycling “ambassadors” to educate various users of the route, and “let them know how to behave, what to expect, how to read the signs and interpret them,” Mulligan said.
The white- and- green bollards, asphalt stencils and covered- up traffic signals have taunted Calgary cyclists for a few weeks, as construction crews have worked on the routes on 12th Avenue, 5th Street S. W., 8th Avenue S. W. and a short stretch on 9th Avenue S. E.
Only the Beltline route on 12th Avenue is opening Tuesday, though others could also permit biking if work is completed before the scheduled grand opening on June 21, the director said.
The plastic barricades at each intersection haven’t deterred all cyclists, who lack safe routes through Calgary’s core. As Mulligan announced the early opening of the 12th Avenue cycle track, several people pedalled carefully around the barriers and down the lanes.
“We talked today about putting up double barriers to try and prevent people from using the cycle tracks that are still a construction site,” Mulligan said.
The routes will be open until at least December 2016, as part of a $ 7- million pilot council approved to gauge the impact on cyclists, car traffic, pedestrians and business. After the trial, council and staff will decide whether to continue, tweak or scrap the downtown cycling network.
The 12th Avenue route is the longest, stretching from 11th Street S. W. to 3rd Street S. E. ( it will be extended a block further east, once construction of the Guardian towers progresses). It’s a twoway cycling route on a road that’s eastbound- only for cars, and lost a traffic lane on the avenue’s north side to accommodate the space for bikes.
Jenny Schlauch, who lives a few blocks from 12th Avenue, plans to check out the long- awaited cycle track before work at 6 a. m. Tuesday.
An avid user of the existing 7th Street S. W. cycle track downtown, she’s familiar with the green bike box — similar to facilities in other cities, as well. Basically, it’s a safer alternative to turning across three lanes of traffic on 12th Avenue to get southbound onto 2nd Street S. W., “the scariest thing you could do,” Schlauch said.
Rather than cut across all that traffic, the green box lets cyclists turn slightly off the lane, and wait for the southbound green light to go straight in the user’s intended direction.
It makes sense once you use it, and there were similar brochures when the 7th Street cycle track opened in 2013, Schlauch recalled.
“I honestly found that more confusing than actually using it,” she said.
Although the 12th Avenue route is the costliest ( about $ 1.75 million) and the longest, it’s also expected to get less daily use than the major routes that will traverse downtown. Last year’s count estimated 190 cycle trips daily at 12th Avenue and 2nd Street S. W., and the cycle track is targeted to quadruple the usage to 800.
By comparison, 8th Avenue is expected to draw up to 1,800 daily trips, and 5th Street should have 1,200.
The first cycle track to open will make grocery trips more convenient for Beltline pedallers, as it goes directly past the downtown Safeway and Victoria Park’s Sunterra. It also will link to the Calgary Stampede grounds, Calgary Board of Education headquarters and Central Memorial Park.