Changes coming for key streets in Inglewood and Ramsay

The City of Calgary has unveiled its plans to improve 11th and 12th Streetsoutheast on either side of a future Green Line LRT station.

New renderings show that the city islooking at narrowing the driving space on the road and improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure between the zoo bridge and the Crossroads Market.

The street, which is known as 12 Street north of the current Canada Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)rail underpass, and 11 Street south of it, will be transformed by the improvements.

The area's city councillor, Gian-Carlo Carra, said that the future Green Line is behind the need to upgrade local amenities.

"The deal that council has struck with the citizens of Calgary is that as we put into significant infrastructure and as that infrastructure provokes significant density, we're not putting in density without amenity," said Carra.

More development coming

Besides the Green Line being built, he predicts a number of future developments will be coming along the 11th and 12th Street corridor.

"You're going to see Bridgeland-style density growing up along that corridor. You're going to have the ability to ride your bike and to walk and to drive. It's going to be a much better mix of mobility options, rewarding people for living in density surrounding the Green Line."

Construction on the improvements will start next year.

However, the city does plan to use temporary measures to narrow the roadway to a single lane of traffic in each direction, starting later this month.

There is currently a temporary cycling lane on the west side of 11th and 12th street that is used for two way cycle traffic.

The city is going to switch that lane to a southbound only cycle lane and add a northbound cycle lane on the other side of the road.

Pedestrians often use the lane as well.

Safer street

The chair of the Inglewood Business Improvement Area, Dan Allard, said he's looking forward to the changes.

He anticipates the narrowing of the roadway for vehicles will create additional congestion during rush hours but that drivers will adjust.

Overall, Allard said there's a growing use of the street by cyclists and pedestrians so he's pleased that the city is creating a safer space.

"We've had a couple of bike accidents this year. So it's obviously a top priority. There's more and more people using this track, coming out of Ramsay, into Inglewood. It makes sense to make that more safe," said Allard.

A co-founder of Cold Garden Beverage Company, he said all types of traffic have increased in the area in recent years. So with the Green Line coming, he anticipates it will accelerate further.

"It feels like to me like we're getting ahead of the game. We know this is going to get busier. So let's make it safer before more population gets piled onto this pedestrian walkway," said Allard.

"So I do like that. Having a bit of foresight there, I think the city's doing the right thing."

The project is estimated to cost $24 million.

Carra said some money was included in the current four year budget plan but he anticipates that extra funding will need to be found during November's budget adjustments due to increasing construction costs.