Cars are not allowed to drive, stop, or park in designated bike lanes. Yet unless there are explicit "no parking" or "no stopping" signs, the Calgary Parking Authority will not ticket or tow violators. There are stretches along the 8 Ave NE, 11 St SW, and 53 St NW bike lane sthat are missing "no stopping" signs. Do you know exactly where? Any others? Got pictures of cars parked illegally in those lanes? Report them here.
Bike Lanes without Proper Parking Signage
Submitted by Bike Calgary on
53 St. NW bike lanes
Submitted by billrennie on
As a long time resident of Varsity in the vicinity of 53rd Street, the bike lanes here are and will likely continue to be an issue. The south bound bike lane between Varsity Drive and 40th Ave. is in front of residents and these residents use this space for parking, (just as all other residents in the city do.) Like wise on the North bound portion, school buses use the bike lane as a parking lane while unloading and picking up school kids from F.E. Osborne Junior High. Neither of these issues are likely to go away. There perhaps is room to construct either bus parking beneath the power line ROW, which would solve the North bound issue, but I can't see a fix for the South bound. As about half of this section of 53rd Street is a School zone, perhaps another solution would be to make the entire section a playground zone with speed limit of 30 kph and do away with the bike lanes altogether.
Loogie street
Submitted by mercator on
I figured all the people who park in the bike lane on 53rd st must just wash their cars regularly.
Shared Use
Submitted by mikewarren on
Aren't those "shared use" lanes? As in they're a shared bike lane + parking lane?
No Signs
Submitted by xcrider on
I rode by there today to have a look and I think they are a shared use also for the residents. The road is so wide there anyway I don't see the issue.
Not Shared
Submitted by bclark on
From what I've learned...they are designated for the exclusive use of bicycles by the "diamond and bike" sign. Anyone parking in the bike lanes is failing to obey this traffic control device. Failure to obey a traffic control device is punishable by a fine. Calgary Parking Authority cannot enforce the parking restriction in this case however Calgary Police Service can. Thus, I would suggest contacting CPS with any complaints about parking. Word of warning, be prepared to explain why you are filing through CPS as opposed to CPA.
Why is it an issue? The lanes are set aside to provide cyclists of all ages and abilities a safe place to ride. It is important that cyclists can secure this space. Likewise, in winter , it is important that the City is able to clear the lanes adequately.
Have you riden this section
Submitted by xcrider on
Have you riden this section of 53rd? The east side is residential and every house has a two car drive way. The west side is a school yard. Almost half the distance of the section in question is a playground zone as was mentioned earlier. The lanes including the bike lanes are overly wide and could be shifted to accomodate parking on one side and narrower bike lanes on both as it is on 37st NW. I think on street parking might be better than all the homes backing out into a bike lane.
I'm all for bike lanes and that false sense of security they provide.
Yes
Submitted by bclark on
Every house has sufficient off-street parking to accommodate multiple vehicles. The lanes could possibly be reconfigured but I understand this presents some issues, though the point here is not the lane configuration but the legality of using the lane for anything other than its intended purpose. The lanes separate cyclists from vehicles, benefitting both types of users. This does have some benefits for safety and comfort, IMO.
10th Ave S, east of 2nd Street SW
Submitted by 2wheeler on
I honestly can't figure out if the signage on this stretch of the bike lane allows for towing or not. The signs that are up there now say when you can park and when it's a bike lane. Will they tow cars? I've never seen a tow truck and there are ALWAYS people parked on this stretch during bike lane hours.
Bike Lane or Loading Zone?
Submitted by 2wheeler on
10 Ave SW
Submitted by 2wheeler on
Here is another 10 Ave SW, but this one is obviously just parking in the bike lane:
I'm confused...
Submitted by albertabeef on
If he's parked in the bike line... why is there a sign saying 2h parking except during rush hour?? That makes no sense...
because ther bike lane is
Submitted by 2wheeler on
because ther bike lane is only a bike lane during rush hour, from 3:30 until 6 pm I think. The rest of the day it's a praking lane. It's during rush hour that passing cars like this one puts a cyclist into the traffic lane and at most risk.
Tenth Ave can be weird
Submitted by gyrospanner on
when it comes to parking. If you look at the signs just east of 4th street, there are 3 or 4 different "zones" and they are all goofy like the one shown above.
11st SW by Bow Trail
Submitted by Charbucks on
I complained to 311 about cars parking on the new pavement section of the 11st bike lane. I sent an email on Thursday, received a response on Saturday, and this morning there were no parking signs! Awesome!
They're just temporary, presumably because there aren't any lines on the pavement yet. They seem to be working though!