Calgary brings back more widened pathways starting Saturday

Calgary is expanding its Adaptive Roadways Program to include more roadsstartingSaturday in order to provide more space for residents to physically distance as the weather warms.

The program was first introducedlast year as more people spent time outdoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. City pathways were widened by closing certain roads and parking lanes to motor vehicles.

On March. 6, the city isclosing two eastbound lanes on Memorial Drive between Ninth Street N.W.

The city will also closethe entire lower deckof theCentre Street bridge between Riverfront Avenue S.E. and Memorial Drive N.W.

"What we're trying to do is really target areas that are super congested. And certainly we saw in Eau Clairethe pathway system was packed last weekend," said Ward 7 Coun. Druh Farrell on the Calgary Eyeopener.

"We knew the weather was going to be beautiful on this weekend. And so we're sort of monitoring it. And because we're in a state of emergency, the administration is being incredibly responsive."

Other roadways alreadywidened include:

• Riverfront Avenue S.E. The westbound parking lane is closed between FourthStreetand FirstStreetS.E.
• Crescent Road N.W. The parking lane is closed going east between 7A Street N.W. and FirstStreet S.E.
• 12th Street S.E.The parking lanegoing southis closed between EighthAvenue and 21st Avenue S.E.

Farrell said city council has "learned to be more nimble in a whole number of different ways" and said pop-up patios will also be making a return.

"What I've been hearing is people are pretty blue right now they're tired. And so anything that we can do to get them out to enjoy the fresh air, we'll try and do," she said.

The roadwaysremain widened seven days a week. More locations will be added over the course of the spring and summer.