Enhancements now complete on west side of 1 Street S.W. underpass

The first phase of the 1 Street S.W. Underpass Enhancement project is now complete.

At noon today, the walkway on the west side of the underpass will re-open and pedestrians will be able to enjoy the enhancements which include new sidewalks, improved lighting, patched and repainted retaining walls, and integrated art work.

“A key objective of the underpass enhancement project is to provide greater safety and comfort for pedestrians using the underpass walkway,” said Graham Gerylo, Centre City Implementation Project Manager. “These improvements bring new life to a railway structure that is over 100 years old.”

“The improved lighting and integrated art will improve the pedestrian experience, and we expect these enhancements will encourage more people to walk between the Beltline and downtown each day.”

With the completion of the west side walkway, the second phase of construction will begin on the east side of the underpass.

Starting this weekend, the east side pedestrian walkway will be closed between 9 Avenue and 10 Avenue until the enhancements on that side are completed. During this time, pedestrians will be detoured to the newly enhanced west side walkway. One lane of northbound vehicle traffic will also be closed during construction on the east side.

1 Street S.W. underpass enhancement project is part of a broader underpass improvement program being implemented by The City to improve the pedestrian environment and underpass connections between the Beltline and downtown communities. This underpass was prioritized for enhancement because it has the highest pedestrian use of all Centre City underpasses (9,500 pedestrians per day), was identified by community stakeholders as an important gateway connection, and in recognition of its significance as a heritage structure.

For many years a number of safety and comfort issues were identified at the underpass including poor lighting, water drainage problems, uneven sidewalks and general deterioration of the underpass structure.

The capital budget for this project is $3.8 million and the enhancements are anticipated to be completed by this fall.

For more details about the project, go to www.calgary.ca/1stunderpass.

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