Crowchild Tr- Kensington bottleneck

[tenyardrambo]

Calgary is growing every year and this area of Crowchild seems to be always clogging up.
I know the past few days they had held all the Crowchild lights longer from Kensington-McMahon stadium and it was moving very good. Was this just luck or a test?
Is the city truly looking into doing something about this? I remember a few months ago the city did have digital signs asking people to go to a website to get their opinions.
If the city did do something what can they really do? Could they shut down those avenues in that area? Could they build a long bridge?
Any opinions or updates?

[Kybosh]

Aren't kids on Easter holiday right now? Probably less traffic everywhere.

[Bunk]

The City is currently undertaking a study of this corridor. The previous plan for this area was from the 70s or something like that that had some outdated thinking, so transportation planners are looking at the problem anew. Not sure on the timing of the study, but I can check.

As for something happening, that really depends on the costs and potential tradeoffs (such as any potential land acquisition needs).

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by Bunk

The previous plan for this area was from the 70s or something like that

[You Need a Thneed]

It needs to be rebuilt all the way from Bow Trail, all the way to 24th. It will be expensive, and that's really what's holding the project back right now. It will likely be $300+ million, significantly more than the Airport Trail tunnel, for example.

[CrusaderPi]

But I'll never use the Kensington Tunnel! I vote against.

Unless they make it look like a finger trap.

[3 Justin 3]

I take this way twice every day and I hate it. Those set of lights (Kensington, and the other one close by) are always red and clogs up Crowchild every day. I really hope they do let those lights last for like 3 minutes more.

[krazycanuck]

The big problem with that area is if they get traffic flowing through the stop lights, they will just bottleneck up on the bridge. If they fix one thing and build an interchange, they need to widen the bridge and rework all of the bow Trail ramps in the process.

As mentioned, when it does happen it will be a massive project that will make the Glenmore construction by Chinook from a few years back look like child's play.

[Northendzone]

Hover boards are clearly the answer to this problem

[wireframe]

I hate that stretch every time I drive through. Fortunately, my house is off University Dr., so I get to stay in the far left lane going North and miss the light at 24th.

I have been thinking recently that the city should keep the Crowchild light green for 5 or 6 minutes longer. The time you wait on Kensington to turn left is too short and the time to go strait is too long. That stretch can add 40 minutes to a drive if you show up at the wrong time.

[SebC]

Seems like this might be a better thing to spend money on than, say, a ring road.

[zuluking]

Originally Posted by SebC

Seems like this might be a better thing to spend money on than, say, a ring road.

Screw that. Get everyone to move into the inner city and the problem goes away!

[woob]

One of my biggest pet peeves of our roadway infrastructure. Grrrrr!

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by krazycanuck

The big problem with that area is if they get traffic flowing through the stop lights, they will just bottleneck up on the bridge. If they fix one thing and build an interchange, they need to widen the bridge and rework all of the bow Trail ramps in the process.

As mentioned, when it does happen it will be a massive project that will make the Glenmore construction by Chinook from a few years back look like child's play.

Yup, if I'm going northbound on Crow during heavy traffic I'm much happier to get by the bottle neck passing over Bow trail then the lights from Kensington to 24th (though those are bad too). All that traffic going from three lanes to two, and then merging with all the traffic coming from downtown... it's a nightmare.

[Tinordi]

[Bigtime]

Time for a Calgary version of the "big dig"?

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Yup, if I'm going northbound on Crow during heavy traffic I'm much happier to get by the bottle neck passing over Bow trail then the lights from Kensington to 24th (though those are bad too). All that traffic going from three lanes to two, and then merging with all the traffic coming from downtown... it's a nightmare.

The 3 lanes to 2 (where 1 lane is a "must left") at University Dr is a nightmare. I think it would make sense to purchase the houses fronting the street directly east of Crowchild there and add a 3rd lane.

[REDVAN]

In America (specifically Texas), they'd close the road over a long weekend, and BOOM you'd have your super mega freeway in 3 days. GET IT DONE NENSHI. I'm pretty sure Calgarians can work around a closed section on a major road for say, 2 months, in order to get this done properly.

[Old Yeller]

It'll never happen, but it would be a lot better than what people who use that everyday are going to have to endure whenever they do fix it and major construction delays start-up.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

In America (specifically Texas), they'd close the road over a long weekend, and BOOM you'd have your super mega freeway in 3 days. GET IT DONE NENSHI. I'm pretty sure Calgarians can work around a closed section on a major road for say, 2 months, in order to get this done properly.

2 months? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...etc