Calgary proposes 2 solutions for the city's 'worst intersection'

Calgary is moving a little closer to finding a solution for one of the city's most frustrating intersections.

Both long and short-term fixes are being discussed for the intersection of Macleod Trail and 25thAvenue.

The intersection has irked pedestrians, cyclistsand drivers for years.

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For those on foot, it's a long walk from one side to the other, while drivers are left impatiently waiting for what must seem like minutes for the light to turn green, only to haveitquickly switch back to red so C-Trains can keep moving through Erlton LRTstation.

And, with the recent addition of 4-car C-Trains and Calgary Transit's plan to increase train frequency from five minutesto three, those grievancesare likely only going to get worse.

"The big idea is 25th Avenue and MacleodTrail, right there at the Humpty's, at the southern gateway to the Stampede,is probably the worst intersection in the city, made horrendous as one of the few east-west crossings in that section of the city," said Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra.

"This is a terrible intersection causing grief for commutes."

Carra said the intersection'sissues aren't just about mobility, but also real estate value, with the valuable plots of land near both the river and Stampede Grounds, and the proximity to 17th Avenue S.W.

"You have a beautiful site, taking in a spectacular view, with an LRT station right there, and it's being treated as sort of a bunch of back-of-house parking lots," he said.

The city ruled out plans for an interchange at the location in 2016, and instead is looking at ways to improve the intersection while developing the land in a way that encourages more walkabilityas part of the street's designation as an "urban boulevard." That plan includes an emphasis ontransit- and community-oriented, mixed-use development in the surrounding area.

The idea of lowering the LRTtracks was also tossed out, due to the area being on a floodway, and the difficulty of regrading the slope of the tracks alongthe Cemetery Hill tunnel.

Flyover vs. elevated LRT station

The city has come up with two possible fixes, and neither one is cheap.

The first would see the Erlton C-Train station elevated over 25th Avenue, with pathways and sidewalks added to connect people more easily with both Reader Rock Garden and the Stampede grounds.

The east leg of 25th Avenue would be relocated slightly north of the existing intersection, where two at-grade pedestrian crossings would be added.

The second concept would see the LRT station and tracks stay in the same place, but single-lane flyover would direct traffic from 25th Avenue over the tracks, before reconnecting north on Macleod.

The U-turn south of the river would also be reversed, and the east leg of the intersection would be closed.

Both plans would take more than 20 years to implementand funding has yet to be allocated to either option.

The total cost of the elevated station was estimated at $129.5 million and the total cost of the flyover at $25.2 million.

Both estimates include the cost of work on the roadway, LRTtrack, station, nearby structures, traffic signals and utility relocations, as well as budgeted additional costs for contingencies and engineering.

Carra said in the meantime, there will be short-term fixes like improving traffic lights, introducing a new turn lane and lowering the speed limit on Macleod Trail to 50 km/h.

"In the short term, there's a package of fixes that we can sort of undertake which are [to]put in a better computer organizing the light, because I've sat there and missed like a couple of light cycles and Iunderstand the frustration," he said.

Slower speed, shorter waits

It might seem counterintuitive, Carra said, to slow speed limits to improve wait times at the traffic light, but it actually works.

"When cars move slower you get more cars through intersections. Roads that have a slower speed actually carry more traffic, and the reason is that the traffic can actually go more close bumper-to-bumper and if everyone slows down more people move and it's better," he said.

Both plans will be discussed at council's transit and transportation committee meeting on May 3.

The meeting will be open to the public, and those interested are able to submit feedback in advance of the meeting, or attend andpresent to committee.

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