Community Traffic & Roadways
Deerfoot Trail Improvement Project has been launched in early 2023
Project scope currently includes redesign of Glenmore Trail interchange, Southland Drive Interchange, Anderson Road interchange and Ivor Strong bridge upgrades
As we are very excited about the anticipated benefits that the Deerfoot Improvements Project will bring to all drivers utilizing this major freeway, we are also very concerned about the prospect of further increased traffic on 18th Street as drivers will want to by-pass the construction on Deerfoot Trail and the safety of pedestrians and cyclists using this street
In May 2023, Riverbend Community Association sent a letter to MLA Tanya Fir, Office of the Minister of Transportation and Ward 11 Councilor Kourtney Penner to flag our community's concerns and advocate for preventative measures to be put in place
We will continue to advocate to engage with the officials and with our community residents to determine long term solutions that will:
Keep 18 street safe for pedestrians and cyclist
Reduce cut-through traffic volumes through our community
Optimize traffic flow to ensure our community residents can get in and out of our community safely
Please sign up for a Deerfoot Trail Improvement Project newsletter and see all project related details on deerfootimprovements.ca
ABL Pilot - April Newsletter Update 03-11-2023.pptx
18th St SE Adaptive Bike Lane (ABL) Pilot Result Summary feb 2023.pdf18 ST SE Study.pdf18 ST SE - Aug27 to 31.xlsxClick here for the latest Traffic-Safety Survey Results Summary
2022 Traffic and Crime Survey Results
Back in April we kicked off the “Traffic and Crime Survey”. The intention of the survey was to give RCA a better understanding of the traffic and safety concerns of our community to develop appropriate action plans.
The survey was open from April 4, to June 19, 2022. We received over 100 responses! Thank you to all the residents who participated and provided great feedback!
Increase in traffic on 18th Street continues to be an issue to Riverbend residents.
Over the last number of years there have been significant upgrades to 24th Street. One of the major upgrades is the opening of the new Glenmore/Ogden interchange. Despite these upgrades, traffic patterns do not appear to be moving. The 2017 traffic volume maps show that 18th Street sees 21,000 vehicles per day at the south end of Riverbend and 43,000 vehicles per day at the north end. Meanwhile 24th Street sees 11,000 vehicles per day at the south end of Quarry Park and 5,000 vehicles per day at the north end.
Put in a set of lights at 18th Street and Riverview Close.
An additional set of lights would not only help residents in that area of the community, but it would also add an additional slow-down for traffic cutting thru on 18th.
Spring 2019 Update
This location has been identified as a priority by the community and Ward 12 Office. The intersection of Riverview Close/Riverwood Circle – 18 Street SE has not met the warrant for the installation of a traffic signal. The latest signal warrant score is 61, based on a 2018 May 29 6-hr vehicle and pedestrian count (the previous signal warrant score of 56 was from a 2011 Nov 17 count). The signal warrant has remained relatively stable.
Using the updated Pedestrian Crossing Control Guide, the 18 Street vehicle volumes and cross-section indicates a Traffic Signal as the appropriate pedestrian treatment should it be warranted, however, the minimum pedestrians or vehicles volumes have not been not met, with only 38 pedestrians recorded in 6 hours from the 2018 count.
Re-examine the dual left turn lane at the intersection of 18th Street and 24th Street.
This dual left turn has been in place for a few years now. If the goal is to move traffic on to 24th Street, the dual turn here does not make sense.
Spring 2019 Update: The Roads department will be undertaking a capacity analysis of the intersection to evaluate the intersection with dual turns and other configurations. Transportation does caution that “There are a considerable number of residences and businesses in both Riverbend and Quarry Park which access the area via 18 Street from the south. Constraining this movement may result in congestion at other locations for those wishing to access the area. Our evaluation will provide options for various scenarios.
Install signage directing people to take 24th street instead of 18th street to access Glenmore Trail - to be located at the the 18th st and 24th st SE intersection.
The sign has been installed in Spring 2019
Sound wall on 18th Street from 21st street to the boundary with Quarry Park
This location is one of the projects identified on the Noise Barrier Retrofit Program list. Unfortunately, there is no funding allocated for the proposed project.
All locations city-wide exceeding the City’s Design Noise Level criteria will remain on the unfunded list, and will be reprioritized once funding becomes available.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Pages/Environment/Noise-Barrier-Program.aspx
New chain link fence up the middle of 18th St
When the new BRT station was built in Fall 2018, a section of fence on the west side of 18 Street S.E. was removed to create a better pedestrian connection to the new station. This opening reintroduced a jaywalking concern which was observed and confirmed by Transportation Infrastructure. While it is acknowledged that the preference is for no fence to be present for visibility and aesthetics of the street and community, the goal and primary reason for this fence is safety.
The fence installed in the centre median of 18 Street S.E. is 4’ in height and is chain link. This ensures the fence acts as a proper obstacle or deterrent to unsafe crossing behaviours, and the design minimizes the size and opacity of the fence, which mitigates the visual impact it has on surroundings.
Summer 2019 Update: On August 2nd, an extension to the median fence on 18th Street & Riverbend Gate SE was installed.