The communities of Bridgeland-Riverside have been experiencing population growth from several new multi-storey residential and commercial developments over the past ten years. Investing in improving infrastructure provides capacity to support growth and change in these communities. Through past public engagement in Bridgeland, including the 1 Avenue N.E. Streetscape Master Plan project, we've heard some comments on issues and opportunities relating to mobility in the community.

As part of the project, The City will be completing the following work:

• Building a protected on-street wheeling lane (separated from vehicular traffic) on the north side of McDougall Road from 6 Street to 12 Street N.E. (A wheeling lane is infrastructure built for people wheeling (using a bike, wheelchair, e-scooter, inline skates, or skateboard).
• Providing a raised wheeling lane on the south side of McDougall Road from 6 Street to 12 Street.
• Replacing sidewalks on the southside of McDougall Road between 9 Street and 12 Street N.E.
• Milling and paving McDougall Road from 6 Street to 12 Street N.E.
• Narrowing the pedestrian crossings at the following locations to make it safer for people to cross the road:
  • Centre Avenue and 9 Street N.E.
  • St. Matthew Square and 9 Street N.E.

St. Matthew Square and 9 Street N.E. Parking will be removed on the north side of the corridor from 6 Street N.E. to 11 street N.E. when crews build the protected on-street wheeling lane along McDougall Road. It will not impact the angled parking on the north side of McDougall Road between 7 Street and 7A Street or the parking bay between 9 Street and 9A Street.

Most of the on-street parking on the south side of McDougall Road will remain, though temporary restrictions may apply during construction.

We’re making improvements to walking and wheeling (bike, scooter, skateboard) connections along McDougall Road and 9 Street N.E. Once the project is complete, everyone will have better access to destinations within the community and to the LRT station.

We will be piloting different types of wheeling lane separators in this community in summer 2024. We will be placing the separators along the protected on-street wheeling lane on the north side of McDougall Road from 6 Street to 9 Street N.E. Separators provide a highly visible barrier along a bike lane used to separate between people driving and people wheeling.

We plan on piloting the following four types of delineators that each have pros and cons for use:

• Concrete Curb separator:  This is a heavy and durable separator that can withstand heavy impact. Its weight makes installing and maintaining it challenging for City crews. These types have been widely used in Calgary as seen on the 12 Avenue SW Cycle Track.
  
  
• Rubber Curb separator: This is a lightweight option designed to absorb impact. When using this option, there is a possibility of the curb moving when it is hit. These options have been used in Calgary as seen on Crescent Road N.W.
  
  
• Plastic Track System : These separators are lightweight and can be adjusted if needed. When using this barrier, there is a possibility of it moving when it is hit. This type has not been used in Calgary yet. It has been implemented nearby in provincial jurisdiction on the Highway 22 & Highway 1 interchange.  
  
  
• BIKERAIL delineator: It is a strong, steel barrier designed to create a fully protected bike lane. It is moderate weight and it is changeable, moveable, and reusable. It is the costliest of the four delineators, but has decorative options available as well, which will be included in the pilot. It has not been used in Calgary, but it’s ideal for mobility lanes and will be piloted

We will post signs near the pilot section along McDougall Road to inform the public about this pilot project.

How will the pilot be evaluated?

The separators will be monitored and evaluated based on their ability to provide safety to people riding on the protected on-street bike lane, installation cost, and maintenance needed once they are installed. The data collected will be used to inform future decisions about wheeling lane separators used in the city of Calgary.

Providing dedicated spaces that support walking and wheeling will improve safety for everyone and better access to destinations within the community, to the LRT station, and the Bow River Pathway System. We are continuing to invest in Calgary’s active transportation infrastructure to help make our neighbourhoods safer, more inclusive, and accessible for everyone.

Upon completion of public engagement that included maintaining green space while still improving connections for people wheeling along with technical analysis and cost considerations, we have chosen the following preferred concept design:

Protected Wheeling Lane and Wheeling Path.

This concept consists of building a protected on-street wheeling lane on the north side of McDougall Road from 6 Street to 12 Street N.E., separated from vehicular traffic by a precast concrete curb with delineators, and providing a raised wheeling lane on the south side of McDougall Road from 6 Street to 12 Street. This design allows us to preserve green space on both sides of this corridor.

For the Bridgeland active Modes Improvements project, we conducted two phases of engagement in 2021 and 2022. Thank you to all who participated. 

The funding available is $3.2 million for the design and construction activities. This project is part of the Established Areas Growth and Change Strategy program. This program provides funding to support short-term (1-3 years) public space improvement projects in established communities where growth and change are happening.