Calgary Pathway Program
Calgary Pathway Program
Our 5As of design are Always Available for All Ages & Abilities.
What is 5A?
5A is a pathway and bikeway network for people walking, wheeling, and cycling. It looks to provide year-round healthy and affordable travel options to Calgarians of all ages and abilities.
We design our pathway and bikeway network guided by five principles: Always Available for All Ages & Abilities. These principles are the result of consulting with Calgarians and outlined in our 5A Network Guiding Principles Report.
Who is it for?
The 5A Network principles will improve safety and create a reliable experience for Calgarians. Children, seniors and people with mobility challenges will be able to walk and wheel on a safe, accessible and connected network. Low-income individuals and vulnerable populations will have affordable and reliable options for year-round transportation and recreation.
What will it look like?
Pathways and bikeways provide Calgarians with options to travel to community destinations like schools, parks, recreation facilities and local businesses. New bridges over waterways and major roads will help people walking and wheeling connect to destinations in neighbouring communities. This helps reduce social isolation as people can interact with neighbours while out using pathways and bikeways and at their destination..
5A network principles
Our Goal: That Calgarians will have safe, accessible, affordable, year-round options for transportation and recreation.
An accessible city benefits everyone. Accessible pathways and bikeways enable people of all abilities to travel around our city. The following principles are used to apply our 5As – always available for all ages & abilities.
1. Separate people by their speed
Providing separation between people travelling at different speeds improves safety, predictability and comfort. Where appropriate, people will be separated to improve their experience travelling on the 5A Network.
2. Improve visibility
Lighting, signage and pavement markings encourage people to use public spaces and provides visibility on roadways, pathways and in parks. They help make people visible to each other and prevent collisions. They also help people recognize hazards like water, ice, cracks or other debris along the route
3. Make it reliable
Well maintained pathways and bikeways will encourage more people to use them throughout the year, regardless of the weather conditions. Keeping routes clear of debris removes obstacles and creates a reliable and consistent experience for everyone.
Additional year-round maintenance will ensure walking and wheeling facilities continue to be safe and comfortable for all ages and abilities.
4. Be accessible for everyone
Accessibility to the 5A Network is improved by the removal of barriers that currently exist along the network. Barriers can be off-set gates, major roadways, waterways or steep pathways. New bridges will help people cross roadways and waterways, connecting them to more places in their community and across the city. Building pathways that are not steep will increase the number of people who can use them. Where pathways cannot be made less steep, alternate routes, connections to transit and places to park provide people with other ways to get around steep sections of the network.
5. Make it easy to use
Signs and pavement markings help people make decisions about their route and confirm they are heading in the right direction. They help identify the facility type, allow or restrict certain types of vehicles and provide wayfinding. Improved signage and named routes will make it easier for Calgarians to get to community destinations on the 5A Network.
Current projects
We're committed to expanding this network over the next 60 years by filling gaps, adding features, and supporting the daily, essential activities of Calgarians such as walking, cycling, and scootering. With over 4,000 km of pathways and bikeways mapped out for the future of travel in Calgary, these new enhancements and paths will create more vibrant and connected communities.
We have several projects that are under construction or planned for construction in the near future. For current updates, please check out our project page.
Case Study: Safer Crossings
As part of our commitment to enhancing pedestrian safety, we have been approved to install 16 Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) in 2025. RRFBs improve pedestrian crossing safety by alerting drivers with flashing lights when a pedestrian is ready to cross. These lights, similar to emergency flashers on police vehicles, continue to flash as pedestrians walk through the crosswalk, ensuring drivers remain aware throughout the entire crossing.
See more information on RRFB locations and criteria.
Future plans
We have several projects in the planning stage. We are working with communities, groups and organizations who will be impacted by new or updated pathway and bikeway projects, to develop and confirm new designs and upgrades.
Some future projects we're working on include:
Related links and resources
Related links and resources
Other programs and projects
- Main Streets
- Transit Oriented Development (TOD)
- Local Area Plans
- Established Area Growth & Change Strategy (EAGCS)
- Active and Safe Routes to Schools
- Neighbourhood Streets policy
- Calgary and Area Pathway and Bikeway Plan Engagement
- Calgary Transportation Plan
- 50 Avenue S.W. Corridor Study
- 50 Ave S.W. Improvements