• Ensure that as more people choose to live and work along the North Hill Main Streets (4 Street N.W., Centre Street N, and Edmonton Trail N.E.), the nearby residential streets remain pleasant and quiet routes where neighbours connect and have safe options for all ages and abilities to travel throughout the area.
• Discourage vehicle shortcutting along 1 Street N.E., 2 Street N.W., while still giving vehicle access to residents by ensuring routes are intuitive and align with local destinations.
• Complete pathway and sidewalk network connections.
• Enhance the residential street environment and create community amenities and green spaces.
• Maintain local vehicle parking and access where possible.
• Collect feedback on the effectiveness of the temporary traffic calming measures in meeting the project goals for the community and users.

In fall 2021, traffic calming measure were installed using temporary materials. View the North Hill traffic calming map here.

• Diagonal diverters were placed at:
  • 1 Street N.E.
  • 34 Avenue N.E., 22 Avenue N.E.,18 Avenue N.E.
  • 2 Street N.W.
  • 22 Avenue N.W.
•  Balmoral Circus Park expansion at 2 Street and 19 Avenue N.W
  • Learn more at calgary.ca/BalmoralCircusPark

A What We Heard report from engagement that took place in November to December 2020 can be found here.

Traffic Calming

Following the temporary traffic calming measure installations in fall 2020, we asked for feedback on the impacts and effectiveness of the measures with regards to travel in and through the area.

The project team reviewed traffic calming measures, such as the location sand orientation, based on feedback provided during this engagement and data collection.

Balmoral Circus Park

The project team asked how residents used the park in the past and how the temporary materials allowed them to use the park differently. We collected feedback about design considerations for the space, to create an attractive and meaningful community destination. Learn more at calgary.ca/BalmoralCircusPark.

In fall 2021, we built a multi-use pathway connection along 2 Street N.W. between 9 Avenue and 11 Avenue. This connection fills a gap in the walking and wheeling network in the North Hill communities. Temporary curb extensions were installed at 1 Street and 24 Avenue N.E. to improve the pedestrian crossing experience and reduce east-west vehicle volumes through the intersection.

Looking south (left) along the 2 Street N.W. multi-use pathway toward 9 Avenue and north (right) towards 11 Avenue.

Traffic calming goals and locations were identified through community engagement sessions for:

• Green Line identified walkability and connectivity as a community value and concerns about traffic in the area.
• Main Streets identified a desire to see reduced vehicle volumes and speeds along residential streets parallel to Centre Street N and to provide safe and comfortable walking and cycling routes.
• North Hill Communities Local Growth Planning project – engaged representatives from local communities, community associations, business owners and industry representatives. Mobility and public realm improvements were identified and captured in Appendix A of the proposed North Hill Communities Local Area Plan.
  
  A draft plan of the Neighbourhood Streets project was shared with the community at public open houses in fall 2019. Through the North Hill Communities Local Growth Planning project, the Neighbourhood Streets Program worked to understand the opinions and concerns of people living, visiting and travelling through the North Hill area, including the communities of: Highland Park, Mount Pleasant, Tuxedo Park, Winston Heights-Mountview, Crescent Heights, Renfrew, Rosedale, Capitol Hill, Thorncliffe Greenview (south of McKnight Blvd).

We have made the diagonal diverters at 1 Street & 34 Avenue N.E. and 2 Street & 22 Avenue N.W. permanent. The new diverter has a large island that extends out into the intersection, which makes pedestrians and cyclists more visible to vehicles approaching. This also reduces pedestrian crossing distance.

We installed additional traffic calming measures such as speed humps along parallel routes like 21 Avenue and 23 Avenue N.W.

Landscaping boulders were installed in the boulevard at 1 Street and 22 Avenue to prevent illegal turns. Landscaping boulders and metal posts are features in the permanent design to discourage illegal turns.

While there is not a lot of local residential street network in Tuxedo east of Centre Street, the project team realized this means many vehicle trips must re-route onto busier streets like Edmonton Trail or Centre Street.

West of Centre Street and north of Tuxedo Park has additional parallel routes like 1 Street N.W. and 2 Street N.E. that can accommodate re-routing local trips. Due to budget limitations, the project team cannot explore additional traffic calming measures at this time along 1 Street N.E. in the community of Tuxedo. As a result, the diagonal diverters at 1 Street and 18 Avenue N.E. and 1 Street and 22 Avenue N.E will be removed. 

We worked closely with our Roads maintenance experts to develop a design that allows for improved snow clearing access. 

We are investigating advance warning signage on the approaches to the diagonal diverters.

During focused discussions about the new pathway along 2 Street between 9 Avenue and 11 Avenue N.W., concerns about pedestrian safety were raised in front of the Crescent Heights High School front entrance. Working with The City’s Active and Safe Routes to School program, the project team is installing new traffic calming curbs at 1 Street and 10 Avenue N.W., to reduce speeds in front of the high school, improve pedestrian visibility, and reduce pedestrian crossing distance.

The North Central Mobility Study has found that the current traffic calming along 12 Avenue is adequate. 24 Avenue through Tuxedo Park is a wide collector roadway and currently does not have any traffic calming measures east of Centre Street. The project team designed and installed temporary curb extensions at the intersection of 24 Avenue and 1 Street N.E. in 2021. 

Speed studies were carried out in the fall of 2021 to understand traffic speeds along these corridors. Studies found that most vehicles (85^th Percentile) are traveling at or below the posted speed limit. Traffic studies can be found on The City’s Traffic Counts site.

In response to Crescent Heights High School pedestrian safety concerns, the project team is working with the Active and Safe Routes to School Program, Crescent Heights High School, and Crescent Heights Community Association on designs to install pilot curb extensions at the intersection of 1 Street and 10 Avenue N.W to improve pedestrian visibility, safety, and comfort. These curb extensions should also realize some speed reduction measures, especially through the intersection.