Sifton Boulevard Streetscape Enhancement Plan
Last Updated: March 19, 2007
Sifton Plan Details
The Sifton Boulevard Streetscape Enhancement Plan Construction will be completed this construction season. Hopefully in the spring. Several curb extensions must be completed and the site cleaned up. The intersections at Sifton/38 Ave and 38 Ave/14 St need to be constructed. The curb extensions on the west side of 14 St between 38 Ave and 34 Ave will be constructed in a permanent manner. The curb extensions on the east side of 14 St for the same interval will not be made permanent at the request of South Calgary. While they made crossing 14 St much safer for pedestrians they had the effect of pushing rush-hour traffic into their community. This has not happened in Elbow Park. We hope to have landscaping adjacent to Elbow Park School done as well.
Highlights of the Sifton Plan
- New sidewalk along the Elbow River from the Elbow Park School pedestrian bridge to Crestview Road - COMPLETE.
- New pathway or sidewalks on the east and west sides of Elbow Park school - COMPLETE.
- Pedestrian crossing lights and crosswalk at the end of the bridge on Sifton will be moved to the intersection of 8 St. The entrance into the schoolyard will also be moved to the 8 St corner. - COMPLETE
- Safer intersection at Sifton and 38 Ave. The safety audit has concluded that the crosswalk across Sifton Blvd on the south side of 38 Ave will be closed - under construction
- 7 St, 8 St, 9 St, 39 Ave intersections will be narrowed with curb extensions to both reduce excessive speed and make pedestrians more visible and safer. The same curb extensions will also be constructed at 38 Ave and 13 St and 13A St making crossing to River Park much safer - - COMPLETE except to fill in some with landscaping.
- Safer intersection at 38 Ave and 14 St. The current configuration of the right hand turn from 38 Ave westbound to 14 St northbound will be retained - under construction.
- Narrowing of the roadway on the south side of Sifton from the bridge to Crestview. The roadway will become the standard 4.01 metre width (same width as the each lane on Elbow Drive) - COMPLETE
Conceptual drawings of the plan are available for download at right. Note there are some changes to the conceptual plan which are outlined below.
Changes not shown on Conceptual Plans
After a city safety audit some changes to the plan were made that are not shown on the conceptual plans at right.
- The sidewalk along the south side of Sifton Blvd will be constructed beside the curb as a straight sidewalk. The drop off to the river does not allow the sidewalk to meander.
- The crosswalk on the south side of 38 Ave at Sifton Blvd will be closed to pedestrians. A safety audit by the City indicated this was not safe.
- The right hand turn from 38 Ave westbound to 14 St northbound will remain in its current configuration. The audit indicated modifications as shown on the plan would not be effective at slowing vehicle speed and would be costly to implement. The other features at the intersection will be retained.
We hope the curb extensions along 14 St at 36 Ave and 34 Ave will be installed this winter in a temporary fashion to determine if they cause problems of diverting traffic into South Calgary. We hope the curb extensions on 14 St can be constructed next year.
For comments please contact David Mackie vicepresident@elbowpark.com.
Posted: October 9, 2006
Sifton and the Inner City Transportation Study
The Sifton Street Streetscape Enhancement project is a part of a larger City of Calgary project called the Conservation Corridor which includes 33rd and 34th Avenues in Marda Loop/South Calgary, Lansdowne Avenue, 42nd Avenue and Mission Road in Elboya, Stanley Park and Parkhill. The construction of the this project is funded completely by City of Calgary from budget allocated to the Inner City Transportation Study (ICTS). The ICTS was a study undertaken by the city to identify inner city roadways that were under stress due to increased traffic volume.
There will be no additional taxes added to properties in Elbow Park as a result of the project.
The Elbow Park Residents Association has no plans for upgraded streetlamps on this project and does not intend to fundraise. Nevertheless we would like to give the opportunity to any interested fundraiser or donor to step forward now should they be interested in additional enhancements such as decorative streetlamps. The EPRA will install decorative bollards with the same design as on Elbow Drive and interior to Elbow Park at all curb extensions where they are required.
For questions or comments please call:
Barbara Mathies, President, Elbow Park Residents Association, 243-2133 president@elbowpark.com
Dave Mackie, Vice President, Elbow Park Residents Association, 287-9989 vicepresident@elbowpark.com
Barry Erskine, Alderman Ward 11, 268-2430, berskine@calgary.ca
Posted: April 30, 2005
Update: January 24, 2006
