Calgary Civic Election Poll #3: The race heats up

[topfiverecords]

Naheed Nenshi has released his latest policy (Better Idea #9).

"Calgarians will be able to get around easily by any mode of transportation"

Summary version: http://www.nenshi.ca/new/2010/232

However I suggest reading the full detailed plan: http://www.nenshi.ca/new/wp-content/...-for-Mayor.pdf

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Naheed Nenshi has released his latest policy (Better Idea #9).

"Calgarians will be able to get around easily by any mode of transportation"

Summary version: http://www.nenshi.ca/new/2010/232

However I suggest reading the full detailed plan: http://www.nenshi.ca/new/wp-content/...-for-Mayor.pdf

Some good ideas there, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't think the SW ring road would do much to improve traffic. A few of his ideas don't seem different from what is done now (e.g. targeting specific congestion points for infrastructure spending), and he might have trouble convincing others to support spending the money required for some of his ideas like an improved bike lane system.

[Slava]

^ I agree with basically everything that Naheed puts forward here. As a deep SW resident myself I do share his sentiment that the ring road isn't the main solution to our traffic woes.

That being said though, I don't see an idea here to help with the problem of the congestion? My hope is that his solution is the same as mine: convert Macleod Trail to a truer freeway southland drive. In other words barricade access points at Avenida, Southport Rd. etc. so that there are no lights required there, and build an overpass at 162ave. I can say that because I'm not running for council and those businesses might hate me for it, but there are no reprecussions!

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Slava

That being said though, I don't see an idea here to help with the problem of the congestion? My hope is that his solution is the same as mine: convert Macleod Trail to a truer freeway southland drive. In other words barricade access points at Avenida, Southport Rd. etc. so that there are no lights required there, and build an overpass at 162ave. I can say that because I'm not running for council and those businesses might hate me for it, but there are no reprecussions!

I'm not a deep SW resident, but how would making McLoad after Southland a freeway make any difference? Wouldn't all the lights between there and downtown still be the major bottleneck?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Ducay

I'm not a deep SW resident, but how would making McLoad after Southland a freeway make any difference? Wouldn't all the lights between there and downtown still be the major bottleneck?

Well I'm not sure (and in no way qualified to be a city planner!). I just figure that south of Anderson there are limited east-west routes that actually get you anywhere, which creates the problem for the deep SW. If the traffic moved freer up to Southland then people could get out of their communities easier and up to these routes in order to move to Deerfoot, 14th or wherever a lot easier.

As it stands now 1/2 of the problem is getting to these other arteries. (The other 1/2 being the delays once you get there, but that is another ridiculous issue!)

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Ducay

I'm not a deep SW resident, but how would making McLoad after Southland a freeway make any difference? Wouldn't all the lights between there and downtown still be the major bottleneck?

wait...are we saying after as in south, or after as in north?

a lot of traffic going further north uses
|south end of the city| to |anderson/southland|
going both to and from work but no more of macleod.

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by Flames0910

wait...are we saying after as in south, or after as in north?

a lot of traffic going further north uses
|south end of the city| to |anderson/southland|
going both to and from work but no more of macleod.

I remember hearing a few years ago that the peak traffic volume on MacLeod was between Southland and Anderson, which would match what you're saying. There's a lot of congestion further south because there aren't really a lot of alternatives; once cars get to Anderson they can head towards Deerfoot or 14th Street.

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

I remember hearing a few years ago that the peak traffic volume on MacLeod was between Southland and Anderson, which would match what you're saying. There's a lot of congestion further south because there aren't really a lot of alternatives; once cars get to Anderson they can head towards Deerfoot or 14th Street.

Yeah, exactly.

Coming from Okotoks I either go straight to the Deerfoot or go to Macleod then Anderson then 14th, glenmore, crowchild.

Getting off at Anderson, I have to go through 3 sets of lights (+/-) which doesn't sound like much but does add up, especially in the winter.

[Byrns]

So Nenshi wants to open discussions again with the reserve? Good luck with that.

Obviously going over the weasel head isn't the best option, but you have to deal with the hand your dealt.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Byrns

So Nenshi wants to open discussions again with the reserve? Good luck with that.

Obviously going over the weasel head isn't the best option, but you have to deal with the hand your dealt.

That's not what he says. He doesn't discuss the natives at all. He's suggesting that the requirement of the SW portion of the ring road isn't really needed at all since it won't alleviate the problems of getting people from the deep South into downtown, and that completion of the "ring road" should be looked at from another perspective.

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by kermitology

That's not what he says. He doesn't discuss the natives at all. He's suggesting that the requirement of the SW portion of the ring road isn't really needed at all since it won't alleviate the problems of getting people from the deep South into downtown, and that completion of the "ring road" should be looked at from another perspective.

That's about what I got too - if anything he seemed to be implying that the province should look at using Hwy 22 if they want a route for traffic to bypass the city.

[1stLand]

Originally Posted by kermitology

That's not what he says. He doesn't discuss the natives at all. He's suggesting that the requirement of the SW portion of the ring road isn't really needed at all since it won't alleviate the problems of getting people from the deep South into downtown, and that completion of the "ring road" should be looked at from another perspective.

What does Nenshi know about the SW?

He was/is a lifelong resident of coral springs (NE) and spent many years living abroad. Does he drive on Sarcee, Glenmore Trail, 14th Street and MacLeod Tr. every day? Doubt it.

I dont really think he has much credence on the issue, IMO.

Also, the purpose of the ring road is not to make it easier to get people downtown.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

What does Nenshi know about the SW?

He was/is a lifelong resident of coral springs (NE) and spent many years living abroad. Does he drive on Sarcee, Glenmore Trail, 14th Street and MacLeod Tr. every day? Doubt it.

I dont really think he has much credence on the issue, IMO.

Also, the purpose of the ring road is not to make it easier to get people downtown.

I don't live in the deep South, nor do I drive down there very often, I avoid it whenever possible, but I've done it, and I know how bad it is. It's not very hard to get a hold of transportation studies if you're following civic issues as closely as Nenshi has. I mean it doesn't take more than a couple of attempts at driving along Crowchild at 6 PM to see that the bottle neck under 16th Ave really kills traffic movement there, or that Glenmore/Elbow/14 ST is a nightmare at rush hour. Living in a certain quadrant of the city has no bearing.

The SW part of the ring road skips having to go along 14th and Glenmore towards areas like MRU/Westhills. Should people in Lakeview lose their houses because of that, or should the Weaslehead be paved over just for that?

[Mazrim]

Wow, I really think he missed the boat on the SW Ring Road. That sucks for him...

He should probably look up destination traffic studies for Glenmore Trail before making those kind of comments. Apparently he forgot that other employment centres and major commercial pieces exist in the south end of the City, and a large amount of traffic on Glenmore Trail from Highway 8 to Barlow Trail is NOT going downtown.

[1stLand]

Originally Posted by kermitology

I don't live in the deep South, nor do I drive down there very often, I avoid it whenever possible, but I've done it, and I know how bad it is. It's not very hard to get a hold of transportation studies if you're following civic issues as closely as Nenshi has. I mean it doesn't take more than a couple of attempts at driving along Crowchild at 6 PM to see that the bottle neck under 16th Ave really kills traffic movement there, or that Glenmore/Elbow/14 ST is a nightmare at rush hour. Living in a certain quadrant of the city has no bearing.

The SW part of the ring road skips having to go along 14th and Glenmore towards areas like MRU/Westhills. Should people in Lakeview lose their houses because of that, or should the Weaslehead be paved over just for that?

Weaselhead is a floodplain, created by man when the Glenmore Reservoir was built. It is not original nor natural.

Similar bridges were built in sensitive environmental areas when stony tr. was bridged over the bow-river west of bowness (used to be a great fishing spot), and also the bridge that was built to expand 37th street over Fish Creek.

Additionally, when Stony Tr. heads westward and eventually connects to Hiway 8 (glenmore), the road is going to have to be built through the environmentally sensitive Paskipoo slopes area (East of C.O.P)

It's called progress.

No one said any homes are going to have to be demolished. That is 1 option, there are other methods that can be employed to save those houses.

Plus, 37th st was always designated as a high capacity road ROW. Residents of Lakeview knew that when they purchased.

Traffic troubles are going to get progressively worse when new parcels of land are developed, such as the community of Providence (near spruce meadows) as well as areas up on the hill where Aspen and Springbank Hill lie.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Does anyone know how the bike lanes he proposes would work? I picture expensive little go kart tracks that either eliminate current road space or have to be added on to existing roads, but that sounds sorta dumb. Thinking there must be more to it.

[Bigtime]

Paul Hughes just dropped out of the race for mayor.

http://www.ffwdweekly.com/calgary-bl...ike-flies-533/

[welshboy2008]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

Weaselhead is a floodplain, created by man when the Glenmore Reservoir was built. It is not original nor natural.

Similar bridges were built in sensitive environmental areas when stony tr. was bridged over the bow-river west of bowness (used to be a great fishing spot), and also the bridge that was built to expand 37th street over Fish Creek.

Additionally, when Stony Tr. heads westward and eventually connects to Hiway 8 (glenmore), the road is going to have to be built through the environmentally sensitive Paskipoo slopes area (East of C.O.P)

It's called progress.

No one said any homes are going to have to be demolished. That is 1 option, there are other methods that can be employed to save those houses.

Plus, 37th st was always designated as a high capacity road ROW. Residents of Lakeview knew that when they purchased.

Traffic troubles are going to get progressively worse when new parcels of land are developed, such as the community of Providence (near spruce meadows) as well as areas up on the hill where Aspen and Springbank Hill lie.

You seem to have a very detailed response here which makes me think you work for one of the campaigns. Deerfoot is a huge and very dangerous problem and needs to fixed before we think about any other roads. Especially since it may soon become the main route to the airport.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by welshboy2008

You seem to have a very detailed response here which makes me think you work for one of the campaigns. Deerfoot is a huge and very dangerous problem and needs to fixed before we think about any other roads. Especially since it may soon become the main route to the airport.

Deerfoot is also a tough and incredibly expensive problem to solve. The SE Ring Road will create a North-South bypass which should help alleviate some traffic on Deerfoot, but what else do you need? More lanes everywhere? Bumper walls ala kids bowling on every corner? With so much traffic in a confined right of way, there's not much that can be done without an enormous cost.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by welshboy2008

You seem to have a very detailed response here which makes me think you work for one of the campaigns. Deerfoot is a huge and very dangerous problem and needs to fixed before we think about any other roads. Especially since it may soon become the main route to the airport.

I would like to add a comment that I think Kent Hehrs signs are offensive and should not be allowed to go up. They are offensive to people who have lost families through gun deaths. Please change them now.

What signs ?