3 Ave SW Cycle Track Detour

The 3 Avenue SW detour was implemented in coordination with the Eau Claire Area Public Improvements work to provide a continuous east-west connection for walking and wheeling during flood barrier and promenade construction.

Removal of the temporary wheeling detour aligns with work completing on the Eau Claire Public Improvements Project and before Green Line LRT deep utility relocation work begins in the Eau Claire area later this year. The utilities work is expected to impact several segments of 3 Avenue SW for an extended period, directly impacting the temporary facility. Options for maintaining segments of the detour were reviewed, however, these options required additional detours that would impact other streets in the area.

The detour saw thousands of Calgarians use the temporary facility, validating the importance of a protected bike lane to Calgarians and the downtown mobility network. This detour allowed The City to test different traffic patterns, safety improvements, and walking and wheeling infrastructure to plan for future permanent projects and detours.

The City is committed to implementing the Council-approved 5A Network, including permanent walking and wheeling infrastructure improvements on 3 Avenue SW. Prior to removal, Administration will gather more information from people who used the detour, businesses, and property owners along 3 Avenue SW. We want to learn more about which aspects of the detour worked well and which can be improved on. We will also continue to collect data to measure walking and wheeling use on the detour and Bow River Pathway. This community outreach exercise will help inform how best to deliver permanent walking and wheeling infrastructure improvements along 3 Avenue SW in the future.

We want to hear from you about your experiences travelling on 3 Avenue to help us plan the future permanent bikeway and street improvements for 3 Avenue SW. Please take the City’s short survey.

"We listened to cycling advocates, property owners, residents, and businesses. We then relayed what we heard to Administration and Council colleagues. 

The decision to remove the temporary bike lanes came down to future GreenLine LRT detours required for utility relocation and future construction projects. We will advocate for a new detour plan that fully considers cyclists and all active forms of transportation"

We’re taking the time to design the best 3 Avenue SW. for people who live, travel and work in the area.

• The City is committed to implementing the Council-approved 5A Network, including permanent walking and wheeling infrastructure improvements on 3 Avenue SW.
• The timing to plan, design and construct a permanent bikeway and street improvements on 3 Avenue SW. needs to consider a number of items, including future Green Line construction, budget availability and future development in the area.
• This area includes a high number of homes, businesses and office buildings, which are adjacent to the Bow River Pathway system and a number of parks and public gathering places, and any future permanent infrastructure needs to account for the needs of street users, businesses, property owners and residents.

The detour will be removed in the fall when construction on the Eau Claire Promenade/Bow River Pathway is complete.

• Green Line is anticipating several phases of construction on 3 Avenue starting later this year, which will impact the current temporary detour on 3 Avenue SW. in the Eau Claire area.
•  The detour on 3 Avenue SW. was installed with temporary materials and design.
• The materials used for the 3 Avenue SW. Detour are temporary in nature and are reaching the end of their lifespan.
• This temporary detour was an opportunity to try different barrier types, materials and designs to gauge performance for future bike infrastructure in this area and others.
• Wheelchair ramps, improved crossings, and traffic signals at 1 Street S.E. and Riverfront Avenue have been added as strategic improvements for both near and long-term safety strategies that will benefit pedestrians and all other users of the roadway. These improvements will remain after the detour is removed.
• The one-way road configuration from 8 Street S.W. to 6 Street S.W. will return to two-way traffic once the detour is removed and parking removed along 3 Avenue will be reinstalled.

We want to hear from people in the area and those who used the detour about their experience travelling on 3 Avenue SW. or being in proximity to it.

• We are excited to see the letters of support to make the temporary bikeway, a permanent bikeway.
• The City has a survey open between August 8 and September 11 to gather information about what aspects of the detour worked well and what could be improved upon.
• The City is planning to meet with people who travel on 3 Avenue SW., people who live in the area, property owners, businesses and community partners. Invitations to these meetings will come later in August.
• Information from the survey and meetings will help inform how best to deliver permanent walking and wheeling infrastructure improvements along 3 Avenue SW. in the future.