130th Ave SE Connection (52nd St. to McIvor Blvd.) finally open

[tenyardrambo]

great! now they can work on the crowchild/kensington overpass

[Vox]

130th has been almost undrivable the last week. It took me 10 minutes to get from Home Depot to the west side of Deerfoot Friday. And I agree with the left hand turn from 52nd onto 130th. It is insanely long.

[psicodude]

I wonder if Bunk or anyone else that knows can tell me how much responsibility the developer of this commercial area has in terms of transportation. I just don't understand how that huge amount of commercial development can be built around such a puny road system.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by psicodude

I wonder if Bunk or anyone else that knows can tell me how much responsibility the developer of this commercial area has in terms of transportation. I just don't understand how that huge amount of commercial development can be built around such a puny road system.

162 Avenue & Shawville Blvd say "hi".

[Northendzone]

this morning 52nd street was back to being slow, although I likely left 10 minutes later......

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by psicodude

I wonder if Bunk or anyone else that knows can tell me how much responsibility the developer of this commercial area has in terms of transportation. I just don't understand how that huge amount of commercial development can be built around such a puny road system.

As I understand it, 130th is a city road. The cross streets - 46th, 48th and 50th are private, and owned by the developer. Though that hasn't stopped the city from trying to push its weight around - i.e.: it took the developer, Lowes and the community associations several months to finally convince the city to allow Lowes to keep that fire gate at the end of 50th closed. Apparently the ###### in the planning department who continually prevented that closure didn't think too highly of the Lowes employee who was run down by a moron speeding through a loading area, or the fact that cars were routinely slaloming around working employees.

Upgrading 130th, however, I think would be a joint responsibility of both the developer and city. Other than a dual exit to NB Deerfoot (which is problematic since the merge onto Deerfoot proper already requires crossing two lanes), the only other real solution I can think of is to build a connector around Canadian Tire and up to 114 Avenue. From there, traffic could easily merge onto Deerfoot.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Apparently the ###### in the planning department who continually prevented that closure didn't think too highly of the Lowes employee who was run down by a moron speeding through a loading area, or the fact that cars were routinely slaloming around working employees.

I think the key thing that is missed in all of that was that was the amount of traffic back there was proof that a second entrance/exit was needed. Had Lowes been built 30 feet further north there would have been room for such access. Now all that traffic goes in front of Lowes instead of behind; and I don't see how that is so much safer. There is a lot more pedestrian traffic in front.

[Northendzone]

i think the idea was that they wanted Lowes related traffic using that enterance/exit.

unfortunately it is often faster to turn left at lowes (versus truning left at 130th), then weave your way thru the parking lot to get access to the stores west of lowes.

sure be nice to know when they are going to finish the work they are doing behind home depot, superstore and can tire - seems like ti has been closed since the middle of summer.

[Otsy]

I like the new 130th stretch. Much nicer in the morning than sitting at all the lights between McIvor and 130th on 52nd.

I'm still not even sure how the latest delay was possible. It was due to open 5-6 weeks ago, but they put in the overhead lights wrong. They put up lights on the outside of the lanes instead of meridian lights that they have up now and working. It was suppose to be meridian all the way and those other ones were put up in error. Not sure how that gets missed in the planning stages. Wouldn't it be easy to tell there's no power on the outside? It's all running down the one side which will be the future middle?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I think the key thing that is missed in all of that was that was the amount of traffic back there was proof that a second entrance/exit was needed. Had Lowes been built 30 feet further north there would have been room for such access. Now all that traffic goes in front of Lowes instead of behind; and I don't see how that is so much safer. There is a lot more pedestrian traffic in front.

That was only one of the problems that shortcut created. There were cars routinely speeding down 50th. Speeding in behind Safeway/Marks. People cuting out of the Safeway employees parking area, out of Lowes, out of that shortcut without looking or stopping. Numerous accidents as a result. Also, crashes at 130th and 50th caused by people who were waiting to turn left onto EB 130th, then changed their mind at the last minute to cut down the shortcut route - right into the path of a car turning left onto WB 130th.

I don't disagree that the traffic going across the front of Lowes may be an issue, but it is a much smaller one. For one, people treat that "access" as what it is: a parking lot. The road in behind was viewed as a drag strip. It has also calmed down people using the loading bay behind Safeway as a shortcut - though the speedbumps they added helped.

The truth is, there are three accesses to the shopping area west of Lowes, and the left lane of 130th rarely backs up. Personally, I'll take my safety over the convenience of someone wanting to shave a minute off their trip to Walmart.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The truth is, there are three accesses to the shopping area west of Lowes, and the left lane of 130th rarely backs up. Personally, I'll take my safety over the convenience of someone wanting to shave a minute off their trip to Walmart.

I would disagree with you on that. 130th is backed up almost all the time that I take it; which is why I will pass Lowes and Safeway to go to Walmart and the stores further west.

You mention 3 access points; however they all run off the same bottleneck of 130th ave. Now there are more stores going in north of Lowes; which will add to the congestion. The issue as I see it is that people will try and belittle the situation by saying things like what you said about shaving a minute off the trip to Walmart. So instead of looking at solutions like psicodude suggested; we are being told to just sit in the traffic and tough it out.

Why were people using the alleys as dragstrips? (Which I never saw personally; but I understand it only takes a few exceptions to have an accident.) The problem is that the whole setup was poorly designed. Part of that came when the City allowed Walmart to not build an exit right into McKenzie Towne. That occurred when there was still an entrance/exit beside Tim Hortons.

So now we are left with a shopping area that is hard to get in and out of during any sort of peak times. And the solution to this is not to tell people that they are being impatient; and then to under-estimate the delays.

[Komskies]

Looks like some good stuff going into the corner near the Lowe's. Among them are a Cobb's Bakery (pumped about this because bakeries seem virtually non-existent in the deep SE aside from the grocery stores), a Five Guys, and an Earl's.

[fundmark19]

I am sad/happy I moved to Cochrane from New Brighton. I am sad because 5 guys would have been so close but happy that I won't go bankrupt from eating there everyday. Not a big fan of earls so that one doesn't excite me that much

[Resolute 14]

Yeah, that Five Guys is going to be dangerous!

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

I am sad/happy I moved to Cochrane from New Brighton. I am sad because 5 guys would have been so close but happy that I won't go bankrupt from eating there everyday. Not a big fan of earls so that one doesn't excite me that much

Agree about Earl's. It's nice to have the option there, but with a Keg and Original Joes already on 130th, I really don't see why I would ever choose Earl's.

[fundmark19]

Exactly plus with Brewsters close by as well even if I felt like something different I would go there over Earls.

[Northendzone]

it would be nice if there were a few more independents restuarants moving in the area.

Great that a bakery is coming there. All we will need a butcher, a candle stick maker and a ye old cobbler........

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

it would be nice if there were a few more independents restuarants moving in the area.

Great that a bakery is coming there. All we will need a butcher, a candle stick maker and a ye old cobbler........

Well, they did spell "McKenzie Towne" with the 'e' at the end. That's pretty old-timey.

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

it would be nice if there were a few more independents restuarants moving in the area.

Great that a bakery is coming there. All we will need a butcher, a candle stick maker and a ye old cobbler........

Don't forget watch-maker, shoe repair, and apothecarium!

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Komskies

Don't forget watch-maker, shoe repair, and apothecarium!

Pretty sure that's what all the Meth labs and grow ops in New Brighton are for.