Ring Road To Nowhere

[Enoch Root]

Or, do what they should have done 20 years ago and get rid of the lights altogether

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Or, do what they should have done 20 years ago and get rid of the lights altogether

That's still being looked at, same with Richmond Rd. Richmond Rd is farther along the process with an actual proposal but Bow will be looked at as well. This is just more of an interim short term change

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Can’t hurt, that is for sure. Still, it will continue to be an absolute cluster**** to try and turn from eastbound bow to northbound Sarcee. There needs to be a better solution.

[SeeGeeWhy]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

Can’t hurt, that is for sure. Still, it will continue to be an absolute cluster**** to try and turn from eastbound bow to northbound Sarcee. There needs to be a better solution.

I putt putt down to 17th and use the clover to get onto northbound Sarcee, or just go through to 10th Ave and curl north on crowfoot if in need to go NW. That turn is THAT annoying LOL

[Jimmy Stang]

After this little u-turn, what are the bigger plans for Sarcee and Bow? An interchange someday, obviously, but are there any actual plans?

They're not going to start anything significant until the west leg of the ring road is done (for good reason - it would be a disaster), but I would hope that they'd tackle that ASAP afterwards.

[The Fisher Account]

Just wanted to chime in and say that the SW Ring Road has improved my quality of life. Infrastructure matters

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

After this little u-turn, what are the bigger plans for Sarcee and Bow? An interchange someday, obviously, but are there any actual plans?

They're not going to start anything significant until the west leg of the ring road is done (for good reason - it would be a disaster), but I would hope that they'd tackle that ASAP afterwards.

Once the ring road opens, perhaps traffic drops and it won't be an issue?

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Once the ring road opens, perhaps traffic drops and it won't be an issue?

But they're making this tweak in anticipation of increased traffic from the ring road!

"Induced demand" aside, I think that N/S through traffic on Sarcee could get a little break (it is being used as a pseudo ring road right now), but E/W on Bow is likely to increase as people go from the future leg Stoney to downtown (and onto Sarcee).

[Fuzz]

That's a good point. I never drive in the area.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Just wanted to chime in and say that the SW Ring Road has improved my quality of life. Infrastructure matters

I’ll chime in to say it has decreased my quality of life.

My house is about 1 km from the ring road and I spend a lot of time in my back yard. The roar and noise from the road is oppressive and relentless. And no, it’s not a normal urban traffic noise - I’ve lived downtown, I’ve lived in close proximity to Crowchild and to Macleod, and I have a friend who backs directly onto Blackfoot, and none of those were anywhere close to as noisy as the ring road. Traffic on an elevated 6-lane highway with no trees or sound barrier doing 100-120 is far louder than any other traffic noise in the city.

So now my happy place - my yard and deck with its trees and gardens and sunshine - where I spend several hours a day weather permitting, is an unpleasant to be. It’s pretty much intolerable without noise cancelling headphones. We know another couple in the area who had planned to stay in their home through retirement who are now looking to move.

Which isn’t to say the city was wrong to build the road, or that it isn’t a net gain for Calgarians. But these projects have winners and losers, and people in my neighbourhood are big time losers from this one.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I’ll chime in to say it has decreased my quality of life.

You must be happy it's motorcycle season!!

[powderjunkie]

The WRR should take a lot of pressure off that left turn movement…it’ll probably only make sense if you’re in Strath/Coach Hill area and want to go to Market Mall/Foothills/U of C area.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

You must be happy it's motorcycle season!!

Yeah, it really is the whine of the bikes that’s the worst. The constant roar and drone of cars you can just about get used to. But the high whine of a bike winding it out makes you stop any conversation you’re having until it dies away in 10-15 seconds. And they go by about every two minutes once the weather turns.

I avidly follow the news around the noise meters that are being tested and used for traffic enforcement in some cities.

[Calgary14]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I’ll chime in to say it has decreased my quality of life.

My house is about 1 km from the ring road and I spend a lot of time in my back yard. The roar and noise from the road is oppressive and relentless. And no, it’s not a normal urban traffic noise - I’ve lived downtown, I’ve lived in close proximity to Crowchild and to Macleod, and I have a friend who backs directly onto Blackfoot, and none of those were anywhere close to as noisy as the ring road. Traffic on an elevated 6-lane highway with no trees or sound barrier doing 100-120 is far louder than any other traffic noise in the city.

So now my happy place - my yard and deck with its trees and gardens and sunshine - where I spend several hours a day weather permitting, is an unpleasant to be. It’s pretty much intolerable without noise cancelling headphones. We know another couple in the area who had planned to stay in their home through retirement who are now looking to move.

Which isn’t to say the city was wrong to build the road, or that it isn’t a net gain for Calgarians. But these projects have winners and losers, and people in my neighbourhood are big time losers from this one.

Which neighborhood?

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I’ll chime in to say it has decreased my quality of life.

My house is about 1 km from the ring road and I spend a lot of time in my back yard. The roar and noise from the road is oppressive and relentless. And no, it’s not a normal urban traffic noise - I’ve lived downtown, I’ve lived in close proximity to Crowchild and to Macleod, and I have a friend who backs directly onto Blackfoot, and none of those were anywhere close to as noisy as the ring road. Traffic on an elevated 6-lane highway with no trees or sound barrier doing 100-120 is far louder than any other traffic noise in the city.

So now my happy place - my yard and deck with its trees and gardens and sunshine - where I spend several hours a day weather permitting, is an unpleasant to be. It’s pretty much intolerable without noise cancelling headphones. We know another couple in the area who had planned to stay in their home through retirement who are now looking to move.

Which isn’t to say the city was wrong to build the road, or that it isn’t a net gain for Calgarians. But these projects have winners and losers, and people in my neighbourhood are big time losers from this one.

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Yeah, it really is the whine of the bikes that’s the worst. The constant roar and drone of cars you can just about get used to. But the high whine of a bike winding it out makes you stop any conversation you’re having until it dies away in 10-15 seconds. And they go by about every two minutes once the weather turns.

I avidly follow the news around the noise meters that are being tested and used for traffic enforcement in some cities.

What part of Calgary are you in? I was not aware of any elevated sections of the ring road other than ramps at interchanges.

We live about 1km from the RR in Tuscany and I don't find it bad. Yes the traffic noise is constant and for sure the bikes are more noticeable (in summer they continually race up the hill, turn around and go back down to the bottom and repeat) but not to the point that it's unbearable or conversation is difficult.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by FAQ: Bow Trail / Sarcee Trail U-Turn Project

How will the vehicle making the U-turn be able to get over to the far-right lane without compromising the traffic in the other lanes?

The U-Turn movement will be a fully protected, signalized movement. Vehicles will only be permitted to complete a U-Turn when given a green signal indication. Conflicting westbound traffic will come to a stop.

That is going to suck for WB traffic to have yet another light. However, I suppose if they had more room to work with they'd just do a protected U-turn lane that wouldn't require a signal.

Glad I don't live / have to drive there much.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

What part of Calgary are you in? I was not aware of any elevated sections of the ring road other than ramps at interchanges.

Cedarbrae. And sorry, by elevated I mean the road is at a higher level than the nearby homes, with nothing to block the noise. If you take Anderson eastbound onto the northbound ring road and beyond you’ll see the roofs and yards of a strip of Cedarbrae. That’s where the traffic noise blasts unimpeded.

[Nancy]

I do find the Province to be pretty cheap in terms of what they provide in terms of noise attenuation and landscaping, considering how over-engineered other aspects of the roadway are.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I avidly follow the news around the noise meters that are being tested and used for traffic enforcement in some cities.

Of all the easy political wins, I don't understand how cities haven't found a way to address this. It would have like 95% approval. Are the accuracy issues really more significant than other traffic enforcement things? Even if 50% of the tickets get thrown out, make the jerks go through that hassle.

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

That is going to suck for WB traffic to have yet another light. However, I suppose if they had more room to work with they'd just do a protected U-turn lane that wouldn't require a signal.

Glad I don't live / have to drive there much.

If you read the link Nancy posted, it sounds like the WB stoppage shouldn't be much of an issue once they dial the timing in. Bow WB probably has only ~30-35% green time. Linking it with the pedestrian lights and ensuring it only activates when Sarcee has greens should have a negligible impact.

[Zarley]

Anyone know what's up with the 60 speed limit on EB Glenmore just after the ring road? That has to be temporary, right?