Centre St & 5 St Developments

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to attend the recent open house. Staff are currently compiling information from the comment sheets and contacting those who requested a phone call. Updated information on the results will be provided once it is available.

Drawings:

Centre Street Design Drawings - Open

5th Street Design Drawings - Open

Key Questions and Answers:

1. Why do these streets need to be widened?

• High River is undergoing substantial growth, which will impact the transportation routes through town. Over the next 10 years, traffic volumes on both Centre and Fifth streets are expected to increase significantly and the current road system will need to be expanded to accommodate this growth.

2. Won’t the expansion of 498 Ave decrease traffic along Centre and Fifth?

• No, although this will significantly improve east/west traffic flow, Fifth and Centre streets will remain the main north/south routes through town. The traffic volume on Centre Street is expected to decrease slightly in the short term but over the long term the number of vehicles along both routes will continue to increase as the town grows.

3. How many vehicles use these streets? How much is this expected to increase?

• Current traffic volumes on Centre Street decline from north to south - ranging from a high of 15,000 vehicles per day (vpd) across the Highwood River Bridge, to about 12,000 vpd between Macleod Trail and Third Avenue, to about 7,000 vehicles per day near 12 Avenue.

• Based on projected growth in the Calgary Metropolitan Plan, traffic on Centre Street south will increase to about 33,000 vehicles per day on the Highwood River bridge and 23,000 vehicles per day near 12 Avenue.

• Current traffic volumes on Fifth St are about 4,500 vehicles per day between Third and 12 avenues. Volumes are expected to increase moderately with the opening of the Highway 543 extension.

4. When is construction expected to start?

• This has been divided into two phases: the first phase will be undertaken within the next year or two to improve traffic flow along Centre Street.
• Phase two is a long-term plan to twin both streets and will likely not begin for another five to 10 years. Twinning of an arterial roadway is typically triggered within the range of 12,000 to 15,000 vehicles per day, and depends on a number of factors including the performance and location of intersections.
• The expected reduction in volumes on Centre Street following the opening of the 498 Ave. extension will allow for additional time before twinning is needed. Assuming uniform town growth at existing rates, the section between Third Ave and Macleod Trail will need to be twinned within four to eight years. Twinning/widening of Centre St between Third and 12 avenues is expected to take place in 12 to 15 years.

• At current growth rates the timing for twinning Centre St in the northwest is expected to be needed within five to 10 years. Twinning of the Highwood Bridge may ideally be tied to improvements at Macleod Trail (within four to eight years,) though this potentially could be delayed longer if intersection upgrades are provided entirely south of the river.

• At this time, it is expected that Fifth St will need to be twinned within 15 to 20 years. However, improvements on the existing two lanes will be required earlier than this.

5. What construction is planned for these roads?

Phase 1:

• The existing Centre St route will be reconfigured to create dedicated left-hand turn lanes for all intersections along Centre St from Fourth Ave to the roundabout at 12 Ave.
• Left-hand turns onto Second Ave will be eliminated. There is no room to create a dedicated left-hand turn lane in this area and having traffic stop in the middle of the through lane creates traffic congestion and increases the potential for accidents.
• The pedestrian crossing at the Second Ave intersection will remain and a light will be added to increase safety. The pedestrian crossing at Seventh Ave will also remain.

Phase 2:

• Both Centre and Fifth streets will be twinned to accommodate the increased traffic predicted along these routes as the town grows. Dedicated left-turning lanes and the construction of a roundabout at the Third Ave/Fifth St. intersection is included in the design.

6. Why is a roundabout planned for the intersection at Third Ave and Fifth St?

• Roundabouts are the most cost effective and efficient way to improve traffic flow and eliminate traffic jams. They are also the safest solution especially for routes, like Fifth St that are close to residential neighbourhoods.

7. When will the roundabout be built?

• Left-turning volumes from Third Ave. to Fifth St will become more difficult as volumes on Fifth St grow over time, and this will prompt construction of the roundabout. It is expected that the roundabout will be required within three to five years, or faster if local developments are advanced sooner.

8. How will these plans affect residents and businesses along these streets?

• Both twinning projects will require some land to be converted into roadway. This will mean that some parking spaces for businesses along 12 Ave will be eliminated. On Fifth St, the boulevard along the east side of the road will be reduced to accommodate the wider thoroughfare..