Ring Road To Nowhere

[bob-loblaw]

There's long line ups in the afternoon at the intersection of highway 8/Stoney and 101 street southwest detour. Drivers have to wait at a stop sign, but there are unused traffic lights down the road at the old detour. Hopefully they'll be moving those over as soon as possible. It's pretty sketchy usually 10 minute waits during rush hour.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by bob-loblaw

There's long line ups in the afternoon at the intersection of highway 8/Stoney and 101 street southwest detour. Drivers have to wait at a stop sign, but there are unused traffic lights down the road at the old detour. Hopefully they'll be moving those over as soon as possible. It's pretty sketchy usually 10 minute waits during rush hour.

Well since its 'temporary' I dont see them doing a whole lot since there are other options (69th) already to access Hwy 8 EB. But I totally agree its sketchy, I've seen a number of cars do some scary left hand turns from SB 101st onto EB Hwy 8. That risk would be the reason to make any changes (either restricting LH turns or other alignment changes) rather than the backups.

[Slava]

Anyone know what the remaining work on the SW corner is? It looks like it just needs lines, and otherwise is basically done, but that's just from my driving by.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by bob-loblaw

There's long line ups in the afternoon at the intersection of highway 8/Stoney and 101 street southwest detour. Drivers have to wait at a stop sign, but there are unused traffic lights down the road at the old detour. Hopefully they'll be moving those over as soon as possible. It's pretty sketchy usually 10 minute waits during rush hour.

There is a turning lane to turn into there, which no one seems to use. It’s short but cars are going fairly slow and easy to merge in.

[bob-loblaw]

Originally Posted by Weitz

There is a turning lane to turn into there, which no one seems to use. It’s short but cars are going fairly slow and easy to merge in.

I find turning into that lane pretty sketchy. The lines are barely painted on it, and so many lines have been painted then taken no one seems to know where to turn into. Even though there's a stop sign there, during rush hour three cars try to turn with the last two not even stopping at the sign because they want to squeeze in.

I just want the Fish Creek to Spruce Meadows to open already. Even partially opening it was without being able to turn off at 162nd would be great. I just hate going through Evergreen with all the school zones and traffic.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

The road seems like it's going to be massive.

16 Ave is being doubled from 4 lanes to 8 lanes between COP and Old Banff Coach Road. Not fully sure why this decision was made, to be honest... it simply shifts the westbound crunch at peak mountain travel hour down to Old Banff Coach Road.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Acey

16 Ave is being doubled from 4 lanes to 8 lanes between COP and Old Banff Coach Road. Not fully sure why this decision was made, to be honest... it simply shifts the westbound crunch at peak mountain travel hour down to Old Banff Coach Road.

And looking at the bridge at Old Banff Coach Road (which was resurfaced just last year) it doesn't appear to me large enough to accommodate more lanes so further expansion would require a new bridge here too.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Acey

Not fully sure why this decision was made, to be honest... it simply shifts the westbound crunch at peak mountain travel hour down to Old Banff Coach Road.

I have no official info on this, and I'm just guessing here:
- They just fixed up the Old Banff Coach Road bridge so they didn't want to immediately tear it down to build a new one that would fit more lanes.
- Since it's a P3 project, it's just easier to make them build all the lanes now than to come back and do it later (NE Stoney widening delays come to mind).
- This will put a ton of pressure to add a lane in each direction all the way to Highway 22. So maybe an intentional push to get the Trans Canada widened further.

Personally, I find it takes forever for people to accelerate to 110 heading West after the Valley Ridge area. Since they're fixing all the way to Old Banff Coach Road that will give the strugglers the ability to get moving.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

And looking at the bridge at Old Banff Coach Road (which was resurfaced just last year) it doesn't appear to me large enough to accommodate more lanes so further expansion would require a new bridge here too.

Technically no. The mainline lanes can be added, while the loop lanes go in on the outer tunnels of the bridge that currently have the earthfill slopes.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.08870...7i16384!8i8192

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

IPersonally, I find it takes forever for people to accelerate to 110 heading West after the Valley Ridge area. Since they're fixing all the way to Old Banff Coach Road that will give the strugglers the ability to get moving.

I understand the rebuild, and it was substandard with no inside shoulder - I'm just surprised it's 8 lanes and not 6. Somewhat hard crunches from 4 down to 2 tend to be less than ideal, historically (NB Stoney at 17 Ave SE)

[morgin]

Is this the Calgary roads thread generally? If so, does anyone know who the hell approved the changes to the intersection at 24th and crowchild? Heading WB on 24th is a nightmare. They narrowed the road to put bike sidewalks on both sides, dual turning lanes NB onto crowchild, but there is no room once those cars back up for anyone to get to the left turn lane of straight through lane. 24th backs up 3/4 of the way to 19th now. Today I saw people driving in the opposing lane to jump around the backed up turning cars to try to make the light. The whole thing is a complete cluster. There is no way this is better than how it was before where there was no right turn light.

[Fuzz]

The right turn light is one of the stupidest things Calgary Roads has ever come up with. There's already a long merge lane, what do they need a light for? Strugglers?

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

The right turn light is one of the stupidest things Calgary Roads has ever come up with. There's already a long merge lane, what do they need a light for? Strugglers?

Pretty much. It's to improve the flow of Crowchild itself, not the flow of 24th

It really improved WB Southland @ Blackfoot

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by morgin

Is this the Calgary roads thread generally? If so, does anyone know who the hell approved the changes to the intersection at 24th and crowchild? Heading WB on 24th is a nightmare. They narrowed the road to put bike sidewalks on both sides, dual turning lanes NB onto crowchild, but there is no room once those cars back up for anyone to get to the left turn lane of straight through lane. 24th backs up 3/4 of the way to 19th now. Today I saw people driving in the opposing lane to jump around the backed up turning cars to try to make the light. The whole thing is a complete cluster. There is no way this is better than how it was before where there was no right turn light.

It gets paved soon so if you have feedback send it through the proper channels now before it's too late

[red sky]

Originally Posted by Weitz

There is a turning lane to turn into there, which no one seems to use. It’s short but cars are going fairly slow and easy to merge in.

On mobile so won't link the source but no more left hand turns off of 101 onto highway 8 nor lefthand turns getting onto 101. My kids go to school at elbow valley and now will likely have to go down to 69th Street. Not sure why they didn't just wait two more weeks until school is over. But that intersection was a cluster f.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Pretty much. It's to improve the flow of Crowchild itself, not the flow of 24th

It really improved WB Southland @ Blackfoot

Basically acting as a freeway ramp metering light but for an arterial thoroughfare.

[morgin]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Basically acting as a freeway ramp metering light but for an arterial thoroughfare.

Which would be fine if they left room for the rest of the intersection to be functional, but due to putting bike sidewalks on both sides of 24th there, it narrows and limits the room for the turn lanes. Takes very few cars backed up in those lanes to make the remainder of the intersection completely non-functional so you have no one making it through straight or left as they all wait for the right turn traffic to move. They should have done actual bike lanes instead of those asphalt sidewalks beside the concrete sidewalks - they don’t bother plowing them in the winter, so essentially it’s just a place to dump snow?

It’s just a completely botched execution of whatever problem they were trying to solve. Makes using 24th during peak hours essentially impossible.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by morgin

It’s just a completely botched execution of whatever problem they were trying to solve. Makes using 24th during peak hours essentially impossible.

Perhaps, that's precisely the problem they were trying to solve. The people who live on 24th Ave east of Crowchild have been complaining about people using that road as a "shortcut" for as long as I can remember.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by morgin

Is this the Calgary roads thread generally? If so, does anyone know who the hell approved the changes to the intersection at 24th and crowchild? Heading WB on 24th is a nightmare. They narrowed the road to put bike sidewalks on both sides, dual turning lanes NB onto crowchild, but there is no room once those cars back up for anyone to get to the left turn lane of straight through lane. 24th backs up 3/4 of the way to 19th now. Today I saw people driving in the opposing lane to jump around the backed up turning cars to try to make the light. The whole thing is a complete cluster. There is no way this is better than how it was before where there was no right turn light.

Let’s be honest. Calgary roads put out some jobs. The smart people asked for too much money so they hired the idiots. Only way I can justify how pathetic a lot of their decisions are.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by getbak

The people who live on 24th Ave east of Crowchild have been complaining about people using that road as a "shortcut" for as long as I can remember.

"Argh, we bought a house on a busy street, let's bitch until someone alleviates the consequences of our shortsightedness."

At least the airport tells these people to get stuffed.