Calgary,
30
March
2023
|
09:00
America/Denver

Improvements make Plus 15 network more accessible for all Calgarians

The Plus 15 Network downtown is now accessible for more Calgarians with the completion of accessibility improvements to 26 Plus 15 bridges. The 2019 Plus 15 Network study identified these 26 bridge locations as a critical to moderate need for upgrades.

“The City of Calgary is committed to improving accessibility and removing barriers for individuals of all abilities,” says Bryce DeNault, Plus 15 infrastructure engineer with The City of Calgary. “This important work improves the universal usability of our Plus 15 bridges and walkways, which help enable more Calgarians to move through the Plus 15 Network.”

Many of the Plus 15 bridges were built in the 1970s and 1980s and required improvements to bring them up to modern-day accessibility standards. The major accessibility upgrades included:

·       Replacing flooring with stable hard surface, colour-contrasting flooring, and tactile indicators;

·       Incorporation of continuous graspable handrails;

·       Installation of automated doors;

·       Removal of barriers such as stairs; and

·       Construction or modification of several ramps.

“We would like to thank all Plus 15 users, tenants and businesses within the Plus 15 Network,” says DeNault. “We truly appreciate your patience as we completed these important improvements to make our Plus 15s more accessible for all Calgarians.”

The City and its partners own and operate the Plus 15 Network in downtown Calgary, which includes 86 bridges and more than 16 kilometres of elevated walkways.

For more information, visit calgary.ca/plus15accessibility.