MF YYC Politics - there, I mega did it

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by timun

SB 7th Street to EB 5th Ave also doesn't allow left on red anymore, although the no-left-on-red sign doesn't stop lots of drivers...

That's my sign! LOL. The number of drivers that ignored the solid red light with no sign was something to behold.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Can you give some example(s) of the bolded? Beyond the inevitable loss of some % of pavement of course...

Using 12 Ave SW as the cycle track instead of 10 Ave SW is the biggest one for me given that I used to live beside it. 10 Ave SW covers roughly the same space, but its not nearly as busy thanks to only being one lane each way versus 12 Ave SW being a major artery within the Beltline.

Tighten 10 Ave SW a bit by adding a physically separated cycle track which pulls the parked cars in toward the lanes. That will make the lanes narrower which has a natural traffic calming effect.

[timun]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

That's my sign! LOL. The number of drivers that ignored the solid red light with no sign was something to behold.

And they still ignore the sign!

I think half the problem there is that drivers are so accustomed to getting signal priority over pedestrians and cyclists that when the through lanes' lights turn green and the left turn light stays red, drivers assume that the left turn light is a sensor-triggered one and they'll have to sit through an entire light cycle before it'll turn green again, so they run the red. Not realizing if they wait about 20 seconds it'll turn green for them as a part of the normal (timed) light cycle...

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by timun

And they still ignore the sign!

I think half the problem there is that drivers are so accustomed to getting signal priority over pedestrians and cyclists that when the through lanes' lights turn green and the left turn light stays red, drivers assume that the left turn light is a sensor-triggered one and they'll have to sit through an entire light cycle before it'll turn green again, so they run the red. Not realizing if they wait about 20 seconds it'll turn green for them as a part of the normal (timed) light cycle...

Maybe some of them. I think a lot just see a green light for the other lanes(they go pretty much immediately, there is not thinking going on), and since there is a green light within 500 feet of them, they just go. Reading a sign? They'd have to put down their phone!

[timun]

Well, yeah, there's that going on too. It's essentially the same thing: drivers so used to signal priority that they're not paying close enough attention to the signage and signals to even notice they've got a red light while the through lanes are green. The ones who pause for the red light and then still deliberately go against it are the more egregious in my opinion, and the ones I tend to notice more.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Using 12 Ave SW as the cycle track instead of 10 Ave SW is the biggest one for me given that I used to live beside it. 10 Ave SW covers roughly the same space, but its not nearly as busy thanks to only being one lane each way versus 12 Ave SW being a major artery within the Beltline.

Tighten 10 Ave SW a bit by adding a physically separated cycle track which pulls the parked cars in toward the lanes. That will make the lanes narrower which has a natural traffic calming effect.

A separated cycle track would necessitate losing all parking on one side of the street to allow for two travel lanes, which is why it wasn't considered a viable option for the cycle track.

Even if they went with the 3m lane widths (3.3m is the standard and getting the 2nd St cycle track a couple years ago was contentious since it meant narrowing the lanes to 3m) you'd lose a lane of parking. Maybe the opposition to losing any parking stalls for any reason has changed in the past eight years, but I doubt it.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

A separated cycle track would necessitate losing all parking on one side of the street to allow for two travel lanes, which is why it wasn't considered a viable option for the cycle track.

Even if they went with the 3m lane widths (3.3m is the standard and getting the 2nd St cycle track a couple years ago was contentious since it meant narrowing the lanes to 3m) you'd lose a lane of parking. Maybe the opposition to losing any parking stalls for any reason has changed in the past eight years, but I doubt it.

To the underlined I say "Okay". 10 Ave SW has an abundance of off-street parking as it is, losing a lane of street parking is fine.

I'd take less on-street parking on 10 Ave to mitigate the clusterf#$k that they made 12 Ave into by putting it there instead.

[Roughneck]

The main reason 12th Ave is messy is because of the need to save on-street parking (with different priorities for different sides of the street causing more lane weaves than would otherwise be necessary).

Not losing on-street parking was pretty much a deal-breaker to getting the cycle track approved in the first place. As much as we should be saying “okay” to sacrificing it, that was a complete non-starter then. From the aspect of building the best cycle track network, 12th Ave is better anyway, so if we’re saying okay to giving up on-street parking, give it up on 12th. Then build a cycle track on 10th as well. And 8th St. Extend the 5th St track to Elbow Drive. And then reduce 17th to only two travel lanes, extend the sidewalks out, and close off each block from Friday night through Sunday.

So with the Beltline in good shape, let’s move onto 33rd Ave and Marda Loop…

[Table 5]

I lived in a condo right on 12th Ave in the west end of the Beltline for a good chunk of last year, and commuted by bike across to Inglewood.... so I got a really good experience of that street both from a driver and rider perspective. I have to say it seemed to work fine. I was actually surprised how issue free it was...I was expecting some hairy moments, but never really had a close call. Perhaps it was luck, but the biggest hazard was not the bikes or cars, it was the morons on scooters.

Now having said that, I do think it would've made more sense to put the pathway on 10th Ave instead even if it took away some parking... it's just a much quieter street, and would've made the experience a little less frantic. In general, I do find that the City tends to put bike lanes on the heavier-trafficked streets, and would prefer they put them on quieter parallel streets...it would be safer and calmer for everyone.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Using 12 Ave SW as the cycle track instead of 10 Ave SW is the biggest one for me given that I used to live beside it. 10 Ave SW covers roughly the same space, but its not nearly as busy thanks to only being one lane each way versus 12 Ave SW being a major artery within the Beltline.

Tighten 10 Ave SW a bit by adding a physically separated cycle track which pulls the parked cars in toward the lanes. That will make the lanes narrower which has a natural traffic calming effect.

Fair. I think there are a lot of pros/cons for each option. Now that 15th is getting wheeling lanes it makes the case for 10th even stronger, but ultimately I don't think it would have been the best choice:

• 10th could have better connections to the west of 14 St, but crossing 14th would have been a dangerous challenge and probably meant killing the left turns there (which might not be a bad idea anyways).
  
• On the east side, 10th ends in a cul da sac; the bike lanes currently fizzle into nothing on 12th at the same block. Both would have potential for better continued connections, but 10th would probably require a very expensive solution.
  
• 10th also has way more driveways on the north side of the street, which kinda defeats the whole concept of a protected lane when it is intersected several times each block.
  
• 10th is far more shadowed. Both streets would benefit from a vibrancy/public realm standpoint, but I'd argue 12th benefits more than 10th would.
  
• Many blocks of 10th have been torn up for development over the last decade, with construction often requiring roadway space. It's probably happened a bit on 12th too, but it doesn't seem like it's been as bad...
  
• 12th has longer green times at all intersections.
  
• Most importantly, 10th is a 2-way street. Which increases the conflict/complexity at every intersection.

12th is probably better for bikes for a lot of the same reasons its a more efficient car mover than 10th

[Faust]

Family can't drop bid to have former councillor removed from office without potential financial consequences: judge

https://calgaryherald.com/news/crime...309eb3635/amp/

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Faust

Family can't drop bid to have former councillor removed from office without potential financial consequences: judge

https://calgaryherald.com/news/crime...309eb3635/amp/

"family" is a generous word for these #######s

Edit: family being from the herald’s headline not implying any associations lol.

[OptimalTates]

Lol that’s awesome. Seems like everything he does backfires in court which is hilarious as he was a law student. Anyways he’s scum of the earth but I would edit the post dude, even saying “family” might get you sued by him when he claims you meant mafia.

[chemgear]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1643314343067656192

[Faust]

Kevin J. Johnston to pay $650K for defaming, harassing AHS inspector:

https://globalnews.ca/news/9623194/k...nt-defamation/

A right wing social media personality and failed Calgary mayoral candidate defamed and harassed an Alberta Health Services public health inspector, an Alberta justice has decided.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Faust

Kevin J. Johnston to pay $650K for defaming, harassing AHS inspector:

https://globalnews.ca/news/9623194/k...nt-defamation/

A right wing social media personality and failed Calgary mayoral candidate defamed and harassed an Alberta Health Services public health inspector, an Alberta justice has decided.

they need to put him in jail. He didn't pay his last judgement, he's not going to pay this one.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

they need to put him in jail. He didn't pay his last judgement, he's not going to pay this one.

As much of an asshat as he is, and he belongs in jail anyway, I don’t think jail is conducive to paying fines or bills unless they have money squirrelled away.

[Fuzz]

He's broker than broke. He's probably unemployable. Prison work program? If it's incarceration, we should send him back to Ontario and they can spend their tax dollars on him.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

they need to put him in jail. He didn't pay his last judgement, he's not going to pay this one.

It IS likely to chase him out of Alberta into another Province, though. He'll run out of Canada to run to eventually.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

He's broker than broke. He's probably unemployable. Prison work program? If it's incarceration, we should send him back to Ontario and they can spend their tax dollars on him.

He has to be unemployable! Would you hire this guy for a position in your business?