City crews are working to replace underground utilities along 17th Avenue southwest and one-ways that were created on 14th and 15th avenues to keep traffic flowing will be extended on Wednesday to allow the construction to continue.
The 17th Avenue S.W. Reconstruction Project was put on hold for the summer but will start up again on September 4th.
To accommodate the work, the one-way detours on 14th and 15th avenues were extended from 8th Street to 11th Street on Wednesday morning.
“15th Avenue will be going eastbound and 14th Avenue will be going westbound,” said Anna Melnick from the City of Calgary Transportation Department.
New signals and stop signs will be placed at some intersections to increase traffic calming and flow in the area.
Temporary no-parking signs were set up on Tuesday to give residents in the area time to move their vehicles so crews could set up the new traffic patterns.
“If residents in the area could look for that signage that would be great and then after that there will be signage in the area directing traffic both eastbound and westbound. There will be a couple new signalized intersections as well as some new stop signs so just take a look while you’re driving to see what the new signage is,” said Melnick.
The city says any vehicles that are not moved once the work begins will be ticketed and towed.
The city says implementing the detours now will help Calgarians become accustomed to the changes before parts of 17th Avenue are closed again.
“This is a temporary traffic change. They will be looked at again at the end of the project in 2020 to see whether they are going to stay or not,” Melnick said.
After the traffic changes are established, people will be able to park on both sides of the street and a bike lane will be added for cyclists.
For more information on the 17th Avenue S.W. Reconstruction Project, click HERE.
