Calgarians to receive improved notification for pathway closures and detours

In time for the busy construction season, The City has developed new pathway closure and detour guidelines that improve both project design and communication with citizens.

Improvements that will give citizens more notice and keep people moving as quickly as possible on Calgary’s pathways include:

Simplified, larger maps posted at both the beginning and the end of the detour.
Directional signage at every turn throughout detours.
For high-use pathways, digital signage posted at the site five days prior to the closure.
City of Calgary pathways app updated in real time.
Interactive pathways map on Calgary.ca/pathwayclosures updated in real time.
311 can advise callers on detour routes.
Designing detour routes with both pedestrians and cyclists in mind and separating them when appropriate.
Conducting follow-up inspections to ensure signage is properly installed and visible.

Projects that require pathway closures will now be held more accountable thanks to bylaw changes that were made this year allowing The City to enforce the rules outlined in the new guidelines.

“Over the past few years we’ve seen an increase in the number of people using pathways for both recreation and commuting. Since 2015 we have also seen an increase in the number of closures required to Calgary’s pathway network,” says Ian Tucker, Pathways Lead, Calgary Parks. “We recognize our closure standards have not kept pace with this growth and have made changes throughout the winter to improve planning and communication of pathway closures. The improvements will make it easier for all Calgarians to understand where they can access pathways safely and how to get around closures.”

Sunnyside pathway closures

Starting on April 1, Calgarians will see and experience some of these detour improvements on the pathway on the north side of the Bow River along Memorial Drive. As part of The City’s work in building flood resiliency along the Bow River, upgrades are being made to the existing flood barrier in Sunnyside. First, The City will be determining the extent of the upgrades needed by conducting various studies of the ground conditions, groundwater and condition of the existing barrier. Upgrades to the barrier, in addition to upstream mitigation on the Bow River, are required to avoid damage similar to what was experienced in Sunnyside in 2013.

As a result, rotating pathway closures will be in effect. To allow for digging of test pits, borehole drilling and installation of monitoring wells along the pathway, between April 1 and 20 there will be various detours in place along the pathway on the north side of the Bow River between the Sunnyside C-Train Bridge and the Centre Street Bridge.

Pathway detours will only be in effect from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to reduce the impact on morning rush hour pathway commuters. Due to frequent changes in the construction location, if possible, we encourage cyclists to use the pathways on the south side of the Bow River to avoid detours altogether. Up to date information can be found at calgary.ca/pathwayclosures.

For more information on this project visit Calgary.ca/sunnysidebarrier.

Since the 2013 flood, $150 million has been invested in various projects throughout Calgary to reduce our city’s exposure to river flood damage by one-third.

Calgary offers over 900 kilometres of pathways city-wide, providing transportation and recreation options for Calgarians from all communities and of all backgrounds. For more information on Calgary’s extensive pathway network, visit Calgary.ca/pathways.

-30-