12th Avenue cycle track construction gets underway for June opening

Commuters who travel 12th Avenue S.W. will start to notice some changes along the route this week as work begins on the new two-lane cycle track set to open in June.

New traffic signals have been installed and electronic signs announce the plan. The cycle track will run along 12th Avenue from 11th Street S.W. to 4th St. S.E.

Tom Thivener, the city's cycling co-ordinator, told the Calgary Eyeopeneron Monday that starting this week, the public is invited to the first of a series of open houses put on by the city over the next two weeks to check out the final cycle track design. The first one will be held Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Bankers Hall on Stephen Avenue.

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The city has already held 100 community meetings on the cycle tracks.

"Now we're ready to show the final designs in the pilot project and begin construction," said Thivener.

The 12th Avenue cycle track is one of four approved by the city in the $7-million pilot project and will be similar to the one on 7th Street already open. There will be two to three travel lanes on the right and the two-way cycle track on the north side of 12th Avenue.

Thivener explained that a cycle track is a step up from a bike lane. It has a barrier separating cyclists from parked and moving cars, whereas bike lanes are designated with painted lines.

Work on the cycle tracks will be done during off-peak hours in the evening, and will be confined to the cycle track lanes.