About The Project

The City of Calgary is renovating the 5 Street S.W. Underpass to create a safer and more comfortable space for pedestrians and cyclists moving between the Beltline and the Downtown core.

The underpass is located on 5 Street S.W. between 10 and 9 Avenues S.W., between the communities of Beltline and Downtown Calgary. Through engagement, The City’s project team began to understand what Calgarians want for an underpass that sees over 1,000 cyclists and 6,500 pedestrians per day, totaling roughly 2.5 million users per year.

The vision for this project is to make life better every day by transforming an ordinary space into an extraordinary space. We want to achieve this by focusing on project objectives that matter to Calgarians.

Project Objectives

Mobility and Functionality

  • Balance the modal split between pedestrians, cyclists, transit and vehicles
  • Make movement an enjoyable experience
  • Consider long-term operations and maintenance

Safety and Social Considerations

  • Improve perceptions of safety
  • Improve integration with existing and future adjacent developments
  • Enhance lighting

Design and Aesthetics

  • Reduce “wasted space”
  • Provide elements of discovery and curiosity through art and design
  • Incorporate trees and vegetation

PROJECT UPDATE

Please click 'here' to view the consolidated What We Heard report from all phases of engagement.

Public Engagement Round 1 - What We Heard

Through our first round of public engagement and technical analysis we learned the following:

What works well for the underpass?

  • Width of sidewalk and pedestrian space
  • The cycle track
  • Connections to the city

What needs improvement for the underpass?

  • Pedestrian lighting
  • Sidewalk surface
  • Maintenance and cleanliness
  • Vehicle lanes are too wide

What are the opportunities for the underpass?

  • Add more green spaces, including trees, to mitigate the wind
  • Addition of public art
  • Improve pedestrian lighting
  • Improve the cycle track to make permanent
  • Additional pedestrian and planting spaces by making use of wasted space
  • Create a more integrated interface between the Marriott plaza and the pedestrian space


Underpass Design Concept




WHAT WE DID


1. Pedestrian Safety and Comfort

  • Wide sidewalks to remain
  • Wider crosswalks
  • Compressed space to discourage lingering at underpass
  • Guardrails and vegetation to separate pedestrians and vehicles

2. Architectural Elements to add Park-Like Feel

  • Overhead canopies
  • Leaning rails/protective edges
  • Guardrails
  • Low walls

3. Narrow Vehicular Lanes

  • Additional space for pedestrians
  • Additional space for plant materials

4. Planting

  • Site-specific trees, grasses and groundcovers provide windbreak and softer aesthetic
  • Park-like environment

5. Improved Corner Conditions

  • Designed areas for gathering and busking
  • Better interface with adjacent properties

6. Lighting

  • Enhances pedestrian lighting at underpass for year-round use, day and night
  • Accent lighting throughout

7. Public Art

  • Art integrated with design


PROVIDE YOUR INPUT

Mobility + Functionality

Balance the modal split between pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and vehicles

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

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Make movement an enjoyable experience

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

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Consider long-term operations and maintenance

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

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The survey form is now closed. Thanks for your contributions.

Safety & Social Considerations

Improve perceptions of safety

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

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Enhance lighting

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

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Improve integration with existing and future adjacent developments

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

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The survey form is now closed. Thanks for your contributions.

Design & Aesthetics

Make “wasted space” useful

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

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Provide elements of discovery and curiosity through art and design

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

You have 255 characters left.
Incorporate trees and vegetation

Does the design achieve the vision, goals and objectives?

You have 255 characters left.

The survey form is now closed. Thanks for your contributions.

You have 255 characters left.

The survey form is now closed. Thanks for your contributions.

NEXT STEPS

The project will review public engagement, along with technical analysis to develop a final concept design later in 2019. It is expected that construction will be undertaken in 2020.