New Streetscape for East Village

For the last few months, CMLC has been working with a number of City departments, especially Roads, to implement a completely new streetscape for the roads within East Village.  We have made solid progress on construction of 8th Avenue using the new pedestrian focussed model for East Village, and while shallow utilities construction delays and winter have forced us to put in some interim elements until spring, one can see some of the basic elements already on-site.

The new streetscape design includes narrower vehicle lanes, segregated parking bays, reduced on-street parking, traffic calming measures built in, raised intersections in key locations (8th Avenue and 5th Street SE is one of them) for pedestrain safety, new streetlighting design, wider sidewalks, and Calgary's first public realm use of an L-shaped interlocking paver to improve aesthetics and reduce lifecycle costs.  We will be releasing a video showing the new streetscape modeled on 8th Avenue SE here on CentreCity blog, but as a preliminary preview the image below is presented:

 

The image above also shows the new tree planting program and the new drink container, newspaper, and solar powered garbage compacting we are considering for use in East Village.  The intersection above, 5th Street and 8th Avenue SE, will be one of the first raised intersections in East Village, where the cars have to go up a ramp that forces them to slow down for pedestrains and provides traffic calming effects without material impact to emergency service vehicle access.  Picture a full intersection built like the raised crosswalks at the Calgary Airport, and you have the idea.  Pavers are used in the parking bays, sidewalks and centre of the raised intersections.  Below is a picture of the new dual curb storm system and pavers being installed in the parking bay on 8th Avenue SE:

Our contractors, Volker Stevin and Marmot Concrete were heavily involved from the beginning of the design process to aid in value engineering and design details, and Marmot Concrete is the only firm in Alberta that has the equipment and training to install our particular pavers, which are highly specialized for heavy loads, frequent freeze-thaw cycles and durability.  The machine above is one of five in North America able to lay these pavers efficiently and effectively, and we will be using these pavers in many other areas of East Village.

Eighth Avenue SE should be open to traffic within the next 10 days or so, and we invite you to check out our work in progress!  We will be continuing with our work on Eighth Avenue SE in the spring with sidewalks, new streetlighting, new planting and new street furniture and the new raised instersection at 8th Avenue and 5th Street SE.  Temporary works are just being finished off for use during the winter season in the meantime.

We look forward to your feedback, and showing a completely new streetscape and pedestrian environment never before seen in Calgary!

Chris, CMLC

Comments

[Chris]

Thanks Josh, glad you like them! Its been a lot of work to get them approved and constructed! We hope they are well received.

[Josh]

Love the streetscape designs. Should make for a very pedestrian friendly environment. I can't wait until the building development begins. All the right foundations are being laid.