Makarov
New Member
I was really worried about how this was going to turn out while it was covered in scaffolding, but I love the finally unveiled finished product. I think it looks amazing.
- Thread starter Surrealplaces
- Start date
CT (Chinese_T)
Active Member
Reddit bashing cy33 again
MissingMiddle
Active Member
Mountain Man
Senior Member
I think he means a rolling drafting ruler. CAD is even becoming irrelevant, BIM is the future lol.
1875
Senior Member
ive started avoiding 33rd if possible, traffic is getting ridiculous. they need to work something out for left turns heading north at the lights on 20th.
potatopizzafan
Active Member
makes no sense that they have an advanced turn for the west bound lane but not east bound. I think that would alleviate the issues.
They say they want the area to be better for all modes of transportation, then they release a "main street" plan with not a bike lane in sight.
Mountain Man
Senior Member
I think 34th should be the cycle street, move the pedestrian / bike overpass to 34th and leave 33rd to cars. As a cyclist, 33rd is too busy, I can go a block south.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
As discussed previously, both need some serious traffic calming and pedestrian safety upgrades - it's probably the most critical and necessary thing still missing from Marda Loop area to be truly a good urban place. I take 34th Ave too on my bike and it's got it's own sketchiness as a result of constant streams of bulky $100K SUVs, a 3% grade downhill and no traffic controls between 20th and 14th Street SW for a full 1km. Exact same problems as 33rd Ave, but with a bit less traffic. The whole area encourages speeding and dangerous situations for anyone not in an SUV.
Mountain Man
Senior Member
Agreed!
Silence&Motion
Senior Member
This is kind of the point, right? Ideally we want less cars on 33 rather than more.
haltcatchfire
Senior Member
I've been avoiding 33rd for 18 years.
Mountain Man
Senior Member
Once every intersection on 33rd has lights, traffic will start to ease but I wouldn't expect a huge drop since it's the connection to Crowchild. 34th would require the same amount of lights to stop people shortcutting around 33rd.
Sambo
New Member
A lot of the posters are trades who know these buildings. Respect.
adamyyc
Active Member
I'm anxious to see the Main Streets detailed design drawings, which are supposed to be complete by this spring. I'm hopeful that there will be funding to proceed with (at least the first phase of) construction, although I'm worried that this would be low hanging fruit if there are budget cuts. It would be a shame if the Main Streets construction was delayed on 33/34 Ave SW and 1 Ave NE, which personally, I think should have been prioritized over the Main Streets currently under construction (although I'm biased because I live in Marda Loop and love Bridgeland).
Regarding traffic on 33rd (and 34th), there's definitely a need for traffic calming, but also a need to improve traffic flow.
If the City actually moves forward with the Main Streets construction, the narrower road surface and curb extensions should help with traffic calming. I'd still like to see the speed limit reduced on 33/34 to 40 km. There's really no need to be able to drive 50 km on 33/34, and it's generally too busy to do so safely anyways.
Although curb extensions won't be ideal for traffic flow (because it will prohibit drivers from passing vehicles turning left), I do think those drawbacks are far outweighed by the improvements to pedestrian safety, traffic safety (they should reduce blind spots at intersections currently caused by cars parked way to close to intersections in the area).
Regarding traffic flow, I think parking should be prohibited from the areas immediately adjacent to the intersections on 33rd Ave at 20th St and 22nd St. At these intersections, I think a left turn lane could actually be created (with advance signals), and through (and right turning) traffic could be diverted towards the curb where parking currently exists. This already occurs on a defacto basis, where people go around cars turning left, but I think the City could actually paint lines to create left turn lanes and to direct through traffic around to improve flow at the busiest intersections. Advanced left turn signals in both directions would also help of course.
Regarding traffic on 33rd (and 34th), there's definitely a need for traffic calming, but also a need to improve traffic flow.
If the City actually moves forward with the Main Streets construction, the narrower road surface and curb extensions should help with traffic calming. I'd still like to see the speed limit reduced on 33/34 to 40 km. There's really no need to be able to drive 50 km on 33/34, and it's generally too busy to do so safely anyways.
Although curb extensions won't be ideal for traffic flow (because it will prohibit drivers from passing vehicles turning left), I do think those drawbacks are far outweighed by the improvements to pedestrian safety, traffic safety (they should reduce blind spots at intersections currently caused by cars parked way to close to intersections in the area).
Regarding traffic flow, I think parking should be prohibited from the areas immediately adjacent to the intersections on 33rd Ave at 20th St and 22nd St. At these intersections, I think a left turn lane could actually be created (with advance signals), and through (and right turning) traffic could be diverted towards the curb where parking currently exists. This already occurs on a defacto basis, where people go around cars turning left, but I think the City could actually paint lines to create left turn lanes and to direct through traffic around to improve flow at the busiest intersections. Advanced left turn signals in both directions would also help of course.
33rd is brutal. I don't know if it's just me, but traffic seems to have gotten so much worse over the past 10-15 years....and it's nothing to do with local development at all. It's 99% cut through traffic. I'd like to see more pedestrian crossings, and even more traffic lights on 33rd. Anything to slow it down somewhat.