CALGARY

Street Labs lets Calgarians try out potential bike and pedestrian enhancements

Cynthia Roebuck CTV News Calgary Senior Producer

Published Saturday, August 20, 2016 5:23PM MDT

People were invited to try out new configurations of 20th Avenue N.W. to make it friendlier for cars, bikes and pedestrians.

Text:

The city held an open house on 20^th Avenue N.W. between 8^th and 10^th streets to demonstrate options to allow cyclists and pedestrians to share the road with cars.

Instead of looking at maps in a gym, people could walk or ride though a demonstration street. Hay bales lined the street to create a barrier between cars and bikes, just one of the suggestions people could try out. Another option would be making parking stalls that turn the cars into a barrier. Chalk markings were made up and down the street representing some of the options.

“To try out different street enhancements, to make it more friendly for walking and cycling and businesses, to see is this maybe a better approach to our public engagement,” said Jen Malzer, city transportation engineer.

It seemed to be working, with people coming out to wind through the area and write their opinions down on sticky notes.

“We have public art made by the community, we have three different kinds of cycling infrastructure, we have a few different types of pedestrian enhancements and some place making,” said Malzer. “Just to make it more comfortable and safer.”

There was even art right in the intersections, there to calm and slow down traffic. There was a range of reactions to the possible changes.

“Anything that makes it safer for people of all ages, I would love for my kids to be able to bike to school,” said Barbara Silva, cyclist. “We see from the bike lanes downtown that they are in use all year, so build it and they will come.”

“I think it’s nice to keep some parking for sure, just for people in the neighbourhood,” said Amy Halpenny, cyclist

A few sticky notes expressed opinions that were flat out against any changes. But the city is pleased with any information they get, which can be used to determine what changes should be made.

“With the recently approved pedestrian strategy, we’ve heard from the public that they do want it to feel safer, we definitely want to get to zero fatalities on our streets, so that’s applying our complete streets policies and our Calgary transportation policy,” said Malzer.

The pedestrian strategy recommended 49 actions that would make neighbourhoods more walkable and safer. You can take a look at them here.