Eau Claire Area Improvements construction and detours
Construction Update
We are excited to announce the opening of sections of the Eau Claire Promenade. With the opening of the Eau Claire Promenade, you will see changes to the detours in the Eau Claire area.
NEW: Temporary opening of Centre Street Lower Deck
The pathway underpass under Centre Street Bridge will temporarily open through the winter to allow Calgarians to walk and wheel in a dedicated space. With the opening of the pathway and underpass, the detour on Riverfront Avenue, which has closed Centre Street Bridge's lower deck, can be removed. The lower deck will be open for use by motorists on December 6, 2022, including reinstating signal operation on Memorial Drive.
Once open, there will be no pedestrian access to the lower deck of Centre Street Bridge, pedestrian users are encouraged to use Prince’s Island or Reconciliation Bridge to cross the Bow River. Signage will be in place, and all users are encouraged to travel with care in the area as the traffic patterns have changed.
Eau Claire Area Improvements Preparing for Winter Construction
Work on the Eau Claire Area improvement projects will continue throughout the winter season, but you can expect to see work slow down as we transition into the cold weather season.
Anticipated Construction for Eau Claire throughout the winter*
Eau Claire Plaza Redesign:
- Crews are making progress on the hardscaping and landscaping elements in the Plaza Redesign.
- Over the winter, we do not expect any major groundwork.
The Downtown Flood Barrier and Eau Claire Promenade:
- The Centre Street Underpass and 2 Street bridge connections are now open
- Creating the pathway connection from Jaipur Bridge to the Reconciliation Bridge is anticipated for mid-December.
- No major ground works are expected throughout the winter
3 Avenue Walking & Wheeling Detour:
- The detour will remain in place until construction for the Eau Claire Area Improvements Project is complete.
- Throughout the winter crews will be in place to clear snow and ice from the detour.
Centre Street Pedestrian Ramps
- Handrail installation and tie-in connections are being made and we expect to see the pedestrian ramps complete later this season.
* Please note: the anticipated schedule is subject to change depending on factors such as complexity, weather, supply chain, and access.
Pathway Closures and Detours:
- The 3 Avenue walking and wheeling improvements (detour) is a dedicated detour between 8 Street S.W. and 1 Street S.E.
- The Center Street pedestrian ramps on the south side of the Bow River are nearly complete. Once the railings are installed this winter, the ramps will be open for people walking and wheeling in the area.
- You can expect to see localized detours around the project area. Please travel carefully as the pathway widths and detours will vary to accommodate construction.
Getting around Eau Claire
The City of Calgary is looking at the transportation network in and around Eau Claire to understand where people need to go and how we can make it easier, safer, and more accessible for everyone, whether you travel by foot, bike, bus or car.
Eau Claire is already a very walkable neighbourhood, with good connections to top destinations like the shops and restaurants. RiverWalk and its pathway network make it easy to connect to neighbouring communities like East Village, Chinatown, Downtown West, Sunnyside, and Beltline.
Detours
The 2022 detour map below shows recommended detours for walking and wheeling in Eau Claire to maintain comfort, access and predictability. All of these detours are open to walking and wheeling, but the icons depict the suggested mode.
Creating safe connections
To maintain safe access to the pathways and cycle network within the city, detours will connect people walking and wheeling along the Bow River Pathway from the West Eau Claire area to RiverWalk in Chinatown and East Village, and the downtown cycle track. Signage will be posted through the construction area; please follow the signs.
Maintaining Access to Businesses and the Community
Access to the businesses and residents along Riverfront Avenue is vital to the community. The driving lanes, loading zones and signage will be adjusted to accommodate a multi-use pathway. This detour allows safer access and travel for people walking and wheeling along Riverfront Avenue.
Keeping greenspace access in the Eau Claire Area
Sien Lok Park will remain open throughout construction. A temporary pathway along the southern edge of Sien Lok Park will be constructed to extend the pedestrian access from Centre Street to 1 Street S.W.
Connecting existing infrastructure
The Downtown Flood Barrier east of Centre Street will use and tie into existing infrastructure such as the RiverWalk pathway. Portions of RiverWalk will remain open throughout construction, and signage will be installed to ensure pathway users can safely navigate the area.
Building a dedicated and predictable detour
The walking and wheeling upgrades along 3 Avenue South will be the dedicated detour for the Eau Claire Area Improvements construction.
Managing the construction zone
At The City of Calgary, we pride ourselves on building a great place to live and a great place to make a life. We know that construction can be disruptive and can feel counter to those goals. Our project managers and contractors have extensive experience in this area. They use lessons learned from previous projects to find new, alternative, and better ways to mitigate the direct impact on Calgarians.
The safety and wellbeing of staff, contractors and the community is an utmost priority for The City.
What to expect
The construction work hours for the Eau Claire Area Improvements Program are Monday to Saturday from 7 AM – 7 PM.
We expect some special work that will need to be done outside of those regular hours for safe access to the site. Notification of these expectations will be listed here:
- An increase in on-site construction activity, including construction crews, vehicles and heavy equipment.
- Pathway and sidewalk closures and detours along the Bow River Pathway Network and surrounding areas ensure pedestrians and cyclists can travel safely through the area and still access their destinations.
- To complete the sidewalk and concrete work in the Plaza and Promenade, crew will be in the area doing sand blasting. We do our best to mitigate and control the dust produced but encourage area residents and businesses to close windows and doors to reduce potential exposure to dust.
- The temporary removal of some parking, road closures and potential road detours.
- Fencing around construction areas and on-site signage.
- An increase in noise and vibrations throughout construction. For example, demolition, motorized equipment, ground compaction and vehicle back-up alarms.
- Soil disturbance and dust emissions.
- An increase in truck and equipment traffic accessing the construction site(s) and surrounding areas.
- Material removal and delivery, as well as on-site flaggers to help direct traffic and pathway users.
- Construction activity on weekends, weekdays, and overnight as required.
