The Shared Street is designed to prioritize pedestrian comfort and safety. It features wide and universally accessible pedestrian movement zones built with high quality paving materials to enhance both durability and aesthetics.

Across the Shared Street, private vehicles are always prohibited, with exceptions made for essential services like emergency and maintenance vehicles. Additionally, active mobility users are encouraged to dismount during peak pedestrian hours, fostering a safer environment for all.

The Shared Street isn't just about movement; it's a place for community to thrive and vibrant public life. It provides everyday amenities, patios, public seating, special events, and activities year-round, inviting Calgarians and visitors alike to spend time on the Avenue.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.

Everyday amenities, such as shade, public seating, lighting, waste and recycling bins, bike racks and more, are integral to fostering vibrant public life on the Avenue.

These amenities ensure the Avenue is comfortable and supportive of daily life. To maintain a clean and uncluttered environment, these amenities are thoughtfully consolidated within a furniture zone. The furniture zone also serves to separate the pedestrian movement zone and the central zone, thereby defining these distinct spaces.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.

Stephen Avenue is designed as a welcoming space for people of all ages, extending its appeal far beyond the usual 9-5 hours, making it a vibrant destination for weekend, evening, and year-round enjoyment.

The central program zone serves as a versatile and adaptable area accommodating a diverse range activities and programs to ensure that there is something for everyone along the Avenue. This zone is designed to be flexible so that it can adapt throughout the seasons and to future needs, ensuring that Stephen Avenue remains an ever-evolving, lively destination for people of all ages to enjoy.

The central zone comes to life with a mix of seating, playful interactive features, buskers, performance spaces, street vendors, and more. Space is provided for special events to inject seasonal excitement and fresh experiences in the public realm, such as temporary art exhibitions or lively markets.

Note: The central zone is included in the 100 SE, 100 SW, and 200 SW blocks. Given the Galleria Trees and approach to the multimodal transition, pedestrian and emergency vehicle circulation is better served here on the 300 SW and 400 SW blocks.

A balance of private patios and public seating options is provided, ensuring there is somewhere for everyone to sit on the Avenue.

The Avenue’s vibrant dining scene is expanded into the central program zone where there is space allocated for private patio seating for use by adjacent restaurants, cafes, and bars.

Meanwhile, public seating options, ranging from fixed clusters to movable cafe-style and larger communal tables, support those opting for takeout or bringing their own meals.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.

Parking and loading will be prohibited directly on Stephen / 8th Avenue along its entire length.

Pick-up/Drop off zones and parking spaces are designated near intersections on cross-streets. Each cross-street is assessed individually, with some retaining existing conditions and others being redesigned with context-specific considerations. Additionally, where possible, alleyways can be utilized for business deliveries.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.

Implementing wayfinding signage that's both simple and clear improves navigation and connections between the Avenue and plus 15 Network.

Moreover, we're exploring opportunities to enhance the underside of the elevated walkway with dynamic, rotating installations that draw interest and add vibrancy throughout the day and across seasons.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.

Raised intersections are proposed for all shared street blocks between 1 ST SE and 3 ST SW. These intersections are designed with gentle transitions to create level centre crossings, providing a seamless pedestrian experience. Importantly, they also accommodate vehicle crossing, including transit and delivery vehicles, due to the subtle grade change.

A consistent approach to accessibility features, such as cane-detectable indicators, bollards, and level paving, ensures that these intersections are easily navigable for users of all abilities.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.

The multi-modal street is designed as a neighborhood-scale streetscape that balances two-way vehicular traffic with a people-focused public environment.

On each side of the street, there are wide and consistent sidewalks. A dedicated and elevated wheeling lane is also located on both sides of the street. A furniture zone separates the sidewalk and wheeling lane, acting as a buffer while providing space for everyday amenities.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.

Everyday amenities, such as shade, public seating, lighting, waste and recycling bins, bike racks and more, are integral to fostering vibrant public life on the Avenue.

These amenities ensure the Avenue is comfortable and supportive of daily life. To maintain a clean and uncluttered environment, these amenities are thoughtfully consolidated within a furniture zone.

The furniture zone also serves to separate the pedestrian movement zone and the wheeling lane, thereby defining these distinct spaces.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.

The block between 5th ST SW and 4th ST SW bridges the Shared Street and Multi-Modal Street with a mid-block transition from a two-way to one-way east-bound vehicular lane, guiding traffic off the Avenue before meeting the shared street. Vehicular left turn movement from 4th Street onto 8th Avenue will be restricted.

An upgraded one-directional wheeling lane provides dedicated space for people on bikes and scooters. The mid-block transition allows people on bike to transition to a two-way travel pattern while preparing them for a full transition at 3rd St SW.

Pedestrians are prioritized with wide, consistent, obstruction-free sidewalks on both sides of the street.

These are visionary illustrations subject to change.