Last Chance To Tell Council To Invest In Cycling In The Budget Adjustment!

Last Chance To Tell Council To Invest In Cycling In The Budget Adjustment!

Advocacy
Hello All, My name is Brenna and I’m a member and volunteer with Bike Calgary. I have just taken the rather scary step of signing up to speak to the city council in favor of 5A infrastructure for the upcoming budget adjustment meeting on Monday, Nov 20th. After attending the city hall advocacy training session on Thursday with the Calgary Climate Hub, I was inspired to tell my story and I want to share it here, with all of you.  I have been cycling to work almost every day since mid April, and every day I see dog walkers, joggers, bird watchers, fellow cyclists, and parents picking up their kids from school. I’ve started to recognize faces and it made me realize that I was developing a sense of community…
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Tell City Council You Want Funding for Active Transportation

Advocacy
This month the City of Calgary is going through their annual budget adjustments. While that might not sound like the most thrilling event, a big show of support from Bike Calgary members could mean big improvements to Calgary’s bike lane and bike path network! Budget adjustments are where the City chooses which projects should receive funding for the next year (and beyond). The public gets to provide their input on which projects we care about the most. This year, the city is considering a 46 million dollar investment in the bike path network, with more in the future.  We are asking you, Bike Calgary members, to come join us and tell City Council how important this is to you! For more on the budget adjustment process, check out this article…
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Calgary Budget – Call to Action

Advocacy, Community, Infrastructure, Uncategorized
Hi, My name is Hank and I’m a volunteer with Bike Calgary. I use Calgary’s 5A Network almost every day, and I’m so grateful for all of the existing cycling infrastructure in our city. But I know it could still be better.I care deeply about increasing access to active transportation in our city. If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you do too. And I’m guessing that you probably also want to see Calgary’s bike infrastructure continue to grow and improve.On the week of November 20th, Calgary City Council will be meeting to review and adjust their budget, and will be voting on multiple points that directly impact the future of active transportation in our city. Will you join me in telling Council how vitally important investment in cycling infrastructure is to Calgary’s future? The…
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Calgary Cycling Infrastructure – 2022 Year in Review

Calgary Cycling Infrastructure – 2022 Year in Review

Advocacy, Community, Infrastructure
As 2022 comes to a close, we've compiled a summary of the changes and improvements that we've noticed around the City over the past year. Here's a link to our 2021 year in review post. A brief outline of what this blog will cover: Policy and/or administrative changes implemented in the past year Adaptive Roadways program Multi-use pathway / Off-street pathway projects Protected Wheeling Lanes Looking ahead to 2023 POLICY CHANGES In 2022 Calgary adopted 40 km/h residential speed limits, for all residential streets (streets with no painted centreline), and some collector streets (busier neighbourhood streets, often with bus routes). More information about this change can be found here. In 2022 some additional policy changes were made: Several commercial main streets such as 17 Ave SW (Beltline/Mission/Lower Mount Royal) and 9…
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The 2023-2026 Budget and a Win for Biking

Advocacy
The City of Calgary 2023-2026 Service Plans and Budget hearings kept cycling moving forward in Calgary. Many of the City’s planning documents point toward expanding the 5A network (Always Available for All Ages and Abilities) of walking and cycling routes, building safe active routes to schools, and closing gaps in the existing pathway system. Throughout 2022, Bike Calgary engaged with City Councillors and staff on these priorities–including guided cycle tours through most of the city’s 14 wards. However, in early November 2022, Calgary’s proposed four-year budget dedicated little if any funding to these critical projects. Bike Calgary sent an open letter to Council outlining our concerns with the budget. Then, at public hearings on November 22 and 23, City Council heard directly from dozens of community members that active transportation…
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City Budget – Help Support Safer Cycling

City Budget – Help Support Safer Cycling

Advocacy, Infrastructure
Between November 21-25, Calgary City Council will debate the 2023-2026 budget, which will set the course on our city's spending priorities for the next four years. Our ask to you is to add your voice to speak up for safe, convenient and accessible mobility options in Calgary, with continued funding and support for walking, cycling, and transit. You can find details of the proposed budget here (we'd recommend starting with Item 9.2.1, Attachments 3 and 9): https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=dd277014-8af6-42d6-bf9e-b19fc7bb7080&Agenda=Merged&lang=English&Item=26&Tab=attachments The Ward 9 office has provided us with a great resource that explains how you can give your input on the budget: We'd love to see many Calgarians sign up to speak on November 22! Bike Calgary will be presenting along with a few of our community partners, asking for dedicated funding and…
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Upcoming Detour – 3 Avenue South

Upcoming Detour – 3 Avenue South

Advocacy, Infrastructure
Please be aware of an upcoming detour on the 3rd Ave SW wheeling lanes. Starting on August 22, ATCO will be working on 3rd Ave SW between 2nd and 3rd Street SW. This work is expected to take 5 weeks, and is happening in preparation for the Green Line LRT project. See below for more information. Given the impacts to the 3rd Avenue cycle track we hope to see a thoughtful and safe transition in place for this detour. Check out https://www.calgary.ca/green-line/green-line-construction/green-line-featured-construction-project.html for more information about the overall project.
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Unite the Heights and 11 Street SW Underpass

Unite the Heights and 11 Street SW Underpass

Advocacy, Infrastructure
Source: City of Calgary Engage: https://engage.calgary.ca/11StreetSWUnderpass Two more engagement opportunities have opened for upcoming projects in Calgary. This is an important opportunity to give your feedback on these projects which could include some significant upgrades for people walking and wheeling. Both projects are part of the City's plans for a safe and connected 5A Network for walking, cycling, and other forms of active transportation. Unite the Heights (8 Avenue North from Mayland Heights to Crescent Heights) Engagement page: https://engage.calgary.ca/UniteTheHeights Timeline for input: June 6-June 26, 2022 The City of Calgary is undertaking a functional planning study on 8 Avenue north, which is an important east-west street linking the communities of Mayland Heights, Saint George's Heights, Renfrew, and Crescent Heights. Community destinations along 8 Avenue include McHugh Bluff, Crescent Heights High…
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Kensington Area Improvements Online Engagement

Kensington Area Improvements Online Engagement

Advocacy, Infrastructure, Uncategorized
The final phase of public engagement is now open for the Kensington Area Improvements project located in the northwest communities of West Hillhurst and Hillhurst/Sunnyside. Check out the design concepts and fill out your feedback here: https://engage.calgary.ca/kensingtonarea Active transportation users will be particularly interested in the first three projects on the website: 19 Street NW between 5 Avenue and Kensington Road NW: Separated on-street wheeling lanes on each side of the roadway, which also provides better separation for sidewalk users from the roadway lanes. The improvements include raised islands and curb extensions to shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians and to improve their visibility to drivers. This project would provide better access to the growing "main street" section of 19 Street. Source: City of Calgary Engage website: https://engage.calgary.ca/kensingtonarea 2 Avenue…
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Feedback Requested – 12 Avenue SW Cycle Track Extension

Feedback Requested – 12 Avenue SW Cycle Track Extension

Advocacy, Infrastructure
12 Avenue Cycle Track at 14 Street SW - Photo: Jon van Heyst This post is the first in a series about new cycling infrastructure projects in Calgary. Bike Calgary is looking for feedback from people who walk or wheel along these new pathways and bikeway additions to the city’s 5A Network. We hope to use this information to provide valuable feedback on these projects to City Council and administration, and to inform our advocacy on new and future projects. Construction on the 12 Avenue SW cycle track extension happened in two stages and officially opened in October 2021. This project extended the bikeway from the previous terminus at 11 Street SW west to 19 Street SW, then across 10 Avenue to the Bow River Pathway. See below for the…
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