Feds, city investing $4.9 million in Beltline, including protected bike lane

The City of Calgary and the federal government are investing $4.9 million in upgrading "active transportation" infrastructure in the Beltline neighbourhood.

That involves creating two kilometres of two-way, protected wheeling lanes — for things like bikes, scooters and skateboards — along 15th Avenue S.W. between 12th Street S.W. and First Street S.E., replacing painted lanes.

Curb extensions, marked crossings, more lighting and widened sidewalks will also be added to 15th Avenue S.W. and 14th Avenue S.W. to improve accessibility in the area.

"It is the most populous part of the city — all kinds of Calgarians live there," said Gian-Carlo Carra, deputy mayor and Ward 9 Councillor for the City of Calgary, in an announcement Friday.

"We've gone from a place where investing in active-mode cycle infrastructure was a remarkable and unique thing to something that is how we conduct business to build more equitable cities, more climate-forward cities."

The Canadian government is providing $2.9 million for the initiatives through its active transportation fund. The City of Calgary is kicking in the other $2 million.

"It's going to benefit Calgarians of all ages and abilities, allowing them more opportunities to connect with their community while benefiting local businesses and services through increased foot traffic," said Randy Boissonnault, minister of tourism and associate minister of finance.

A second, similar project investing $1.3 million in Calgary's Dover neighbourhood was announced in January.

Cycling Network

Peter Oliver with the Beltline Neighbourhoods Association said he's happy to see the permanent bike path coming to the neighbourhood.

"This is a huge missing link. It's an east-west connection that parallels 17th Ave. across the whole width of the Beltline," said Oliver in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener Monday.

As a cyclist himself, Oliver said he's seen residents take advantage of other recent investments in biking infrastructure.

"They're just a really important way to give people the means to get around on their own … without having to depend on a car," he said.

"You also see people all year round, where we don't have sidewalks that are consistently shoveled or plowed in the winter, you'll find people in wheelchairs on the cycle track."

Another protected bike path already exists on 12th Avenue S.W., a few blocks north of where the new, separated bike path will be built.

Oliver said he still thinks the new track is necessary.

"The whole idea behind a cycle track network is having a cycle track protected, that's physically separated from cars, every two or three blocks so that you have, effectively, a network," he said.

LISTEN | Peter Oliver shares what he thinks about the new bike lane in the Beltline:

Carra agreed, saying the new pathway will provide a critical connection point through a popular area.

"The Beltline is primarily for people who walk and wheel around their neighborhood. And it's certainly not too much to have another east-west connection in this dense, dense community," he said.

With funding in place, the city will begin detailed design while continuing conversations with the community. They're aiming to begin construction next year.