Pathway and Bikeway Plan
Calgary’s Pathway and Bikeway Network (5A) Program
This program is building a city where everyone has access to safe, healthy, and affordable travel options, year-round.
What is Calgary’s Pathway and Bikeway Network?
The future of mobility in Calgary is laid out in Calgary Transportation Plan, which envisions a city that is safe and welcoming for people of all ages and abilities to travel affordably and sustainably year-round. Pathways and bikeways contribute to quality of life and health of many, and by 2050 all communities will be connected through a network of 4,000 km of pathways and bikeways.
To help us get to this vision, Council approved $56 million in 2023 to expand access to workplaces, schools, parks, and local destinations while enhancing safety and connectivity for all. A second fund was also established by Council so that improvements for people walking and biking can be made at the same time as roadway repaving. Initially, this program will cover 150 km of street repairs and several kilometers of new pathways and bikeways in high-use areas. Combining these projects will minimize construction impacts and increase efficiency.
This map illustrates the vision for the future of what a complete pathway and bikeway (5A) network would look like in Calgary.
How and why are we investing?
Getting to a city that is connected for people walking and biking safely and comfortably means investing in different infrastructure types. Today, we are focused on four main investment areas to expand into new areas and improve existing links:
Connecting Kids to Schools ($39.1 million)
- Goal: Build infrastructure along new corridors near schools to connect children between home and school.
- Criteria: Projects are selected based on safety, equity, community need, connectedness, and proximity to schools.
- Timeline: Work will take place from 2023 to 2026, including design, engagement, and construction, depending on funding availability. Check our map for the chosen corridor projects.
Closing Network Gaps ($14.1 million)
- Goal: Improve existing connections by filling gaps in the current network.
- ·Scope: Construct over 15 new connections where links are missing.
- Update: A list of locations for these new connections will be available soon.
Safer Crossings ($2.8 million)
- ·Goal: Enhance safety by installing new crossings.
- Plan: Build 28 Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) over the next four years.
- Details: Check back in the fall for the list of locations where RRFBs will be installed in your community.
Pavement Rehabilitation Program
- Goal: Combine walking and biking improvements with annual street repaving.
- Impact: 150 km of street repairs and several kilometers of new pathways and bikeways in high-use locations.
- Benefit: Minimize construction impacts and increase efficiency in delivering improvements.
Investing in our infrastructure will help everyone feel comfortable and safe reaching local destinations like schools, work, shopping malls, and recreation centers.
What's next?
New corridors are prioritized using five criteria: safety, equity, connectedness, need and schools. The next 100 projects are shown here to give a sense of which communities we will focus on in future budget cycles.
5A design principles
Engaging with Calgarians has helped us learn how to design our walkways, pathways, and bike lanes in ways that are accessible, safe, reliable and welcoming year-round. At the heart of how we design, are five principles that were guided by Calgarians and are outlined in the 5A Network Guiding Principles Report.
Separate people by their speed
Providing separation between people travelling at different speeds improves safety, predictability, and comfort.
Make it easy to use
Signage, pavement markings and named routes help people make decisions about their route and confirm they are heading in the right direction.
Be accessible for everyone
Accessibility is improved by removing barriers such as major roadways, waterways, steep hills, or uneven surfaces. Alternate routes may be incorporated that are easier to navigate, connections to transit may be improved, while a new bridge may be built to help people cross a busy roadway.
Make it reliable
Well-maintained pathways and bikeways will encourage more people to use them throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions. Keeping routes clear of debris removes obstacles and creates a reliable and consistent experience for everyone.
Improve visibility
Lighting on roadways, pathways and in parks helps make people visible to each other and prevents collisions, while making hazards such as ice, snow, cracks or debris visible. More lighting also encourages people to feel safe using the network in evening hours.
Designs Calgarians choose
Applying design principles means building different facility types in different places and each project will be shaped by community engagement and context. Pathways, walkways and bike lanes that have been shown to work well for diverse Calgarians include:
- Cycle tracks and protected bike lanes
- Multi-use and twinned pathways
- Quiet bike boulevards with traffic calming
- Plazas and shared spaces
Glossary of Terms
Cycle track
A dedicated lane separated from vehicle traffic by a physical barrier, intended for motorized and non-motorized mobility devices.
Bike Lanes / Wheeling Lanes / Shared Lanes
A dedicated lane on a roadway but not separated by a physical barrier, intended for motorized and non-motorized mobility devices.
Pathway
Dedicated for non-motorized use with the exception of wheelchairs.
Wheeling / Wheelers
A colloquial term The City uses to refer to someone using any form of mobility device from a wheelchair to an electric skateboard.
Related Programs
To build the entire Network, it will take a collective effort across all applicable City Programs and initiatives. Here are a few that have incorporated the design principles into their project designs.
Other related links
Frequently asked questions
What does 5A stand for?
It stands for 5As that are Always Available for All Ages and Abilities. It means we are building our active transportation network for everyone to use year-round.
Who is the Pathways and Bikeways (5A) Network for?
The Pathways and Bikeways Network is for everyone – no matter of age, ability or method of transportation. When we think about who everyone is, we think about people learning to walk, people needing assistance to walk, people of all genders, abilities, and socio-demographic circumstances.
Why build the Pathways and Bikeway (5A) Network?
Calgarians want safe access to connect to local destinations like schools, shops, recreation centres and workplaces. They want accessible and connected pathways and bikeways that are well lit, easy to navigate, have few barriers and accommodate a variety of transportation modes. We know Calgarians value programs that improve health and help to reduce our carbon footprint.
What are we doing differently when it comes to building bikeways and pathways?
Today our design approach considers the needs of everyone because our design principles have been developed by Calgarians. In the past, many of our design standards proved not to feel friendly for everyone so we’ve changed the way we design and build.
When will the new projects start to be build in Calgary?
The City will begin implementing this work starting in 2023 to 2026. The work funded could include project work that involves design and engagement and/or construction based on availability of funding.
How is the Network funded?
$56M was approved by Council in 2023 to launch and invest in Calgary’s new Pathway and Bikeway Network program (5A).
We will make greatest progress on our pathway and bikeway network when all City programs incorporate small and large improvements. Examples of contributing programs include Main Streets, Bridges, and Road Reconstruction.
How long will it take for the Network to be complete?
While we would love to complete the whole Network as soon as possible, completion of all areas is dependent on private funding, public funding, and City priorities – all of which can fluctuate year to year and council to council. Calgary Transportation Plan calls for the network to be completed by 2050 though achieving our climate targets will require us to move faster.
What is our planned network?
Pathway and bikeway infrastructure will be added according to the Network map or Map 1 in the Calgary Transportation Plan.
How do we collaborate with developers to make sure new communities have pathway and bikeway infrastructure?
It is required that all collector and arterial streets in new communities incorporate new pathways and bikeways following the five design principles. The new infrastructure will be built to ensure it is accessibly, safe, reliable and welcoming year-round to everyone using it in the new communities.
Does implementing the Network mean our street infrastructure will change?
Implementing pathway and bikeway infrastructure using our five design principles will mean some of our existing infrastructure may need to change. Street changes will involve studying and engaging on every project. Adding new corridors may involve narrowing the road or changing where parking is on a street. Streets that everyone can use is a commitment by The City of Calgary.
How do we measure equity?
We reference the Calgary Equity Index. This is a new geographically based planning and decision-making tool that provides information about equity in Calgary. The index consists of 20 indicators across five categories which are:
- Economic opportunities
- Governance and civic engagement
- Physical environment infrastructure
- Population health
- Social development
Program Update – December 2023
On November 23, 2023, Council concluded its deliberations and approved the adjustments to The City of Calgary’s service plans and budgets. As a result, City Council has directed an additional $16.4 million to accelerate projects under the Pathways and Bikeways Network program. This will help us move faster towards finishing a complete active transportation network in Calgary. You can see what the completed network will look like in Calgary by viewing the “Vision for the Future of Calgary’s Pathway & Bikeway Network” map below.
New funding for Walking and Biking Trips
An increase of $16.4 million will deliver an anticipated 6 - 7 kms of new pathways and bikeways that includes safer crossings through Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, removing barriers along existing routes, and building new corridors that will connect children with schools. This program was created in 2022, and together with new funds represents a $56.4 million investment over four years in year-round healthy and affordable travel options that everyone can use.
Investment from Pavement Rehabilitation program
Council also created a new program that has combined walking and biking improvements together with annual street repaving. With $30M Council, Calgarians will see 150 kms of street repairs and several kilometres of pathway and bikeway built in high use locations. By combining this work together there will less construction impacts and delivering improvements will be more efficient.
These recently approved investments will accelerate work for active transportation projects. By 2026, we will focus on building travel options that everyone feels safe and comfortable using. To achieve this goal, we will:
- Build and upgrade off-street pathways and on-street bikeways in different communities in Calgary.
- Install safer crossings in communities throughout Calgary.
Questions about Calgary’s pathway and bikeway network?