Temporary safety upgrades expected for Kensington Road this summer

A year after two children were struck by a vehicle at a crosswalk on Kensington Road N.W., the City of Calgary says proposed safety changes are expected to come to that corridor this summer.

The city's mobility safety team is in the design stage for temporary measures, from Crowchild Trail to 14th Street N.W., to address immediate concerns that residents have.

Tony Churchill has been heading up the project as the City of Calgary's co-ordinator of mobility safety.

"We have been aware of some of the issues along Kensington Road and have been taking incremental steps, but now that we've looked at it in a more holistic look … we've decided to take some action on it," said Churchill. 

The proposed changes include:

• Extending curbs along the corridor and most crosswalks.
• Installing rapid flashing beacon lights at crosswalks.
• Reducing to a single lane in each direction.
• Extending the existing 40 km/h speed limit.

The measures come after the city completed a collision review and traffic assessment of the corridor over the fall and winter. Churchill says the review listed collisions between cyclists and pedestrians, and also motor vehicle collisions.

He wasn't able to say how many collisions the review found but said "it's enough that it's concerning, and we know that we want to do something along here."

Churchill says his hope is that the changes improve sightlines for motorists so pedestrians are more visible when they cross the road.

Years-long concerns

Coun. Terry Wong, who represents the area, says residents have been raising concerns about the road since he took office in October 2021, but previous Ward 7 councillor Druh Farrell also dealt with the same safety complaints.

He says he hopes city administration will have a detailed design complete by June so work on the changes can start in July.

"We know we're confident that we want to put it out there, and certainly get it out there before the fall season."

Wong says the goal is for these measures to inform planning for permanent solutions.

"Right now, the temporary installation is something we can do relatively quickly and relatively inexpensively to be able to measure and ensure that the desired outcomes are in place," said Wong.

Those permanent solutions are at least two years out, he adds.

Still, he says he hopes this initiative will garner positive responses from concerned residents.

"I look forward to the day when the constituents are able to come back and say, 'Councillor Wong, thank you for listening to us and, more importantly, getting things done.'"

Hoping for main street treatment

Janice Paskey has been at the helm of advocating for pedestrian safety as the transportation and mobility chair for the West Hillhurst Community Association.

"We are happy with the short-term changes and look forward to working with the city on implementing those and making the north-south crossing safer," said Paskey.

What she'd like to see moving forward, she says, is a main street treatment for Kensington Road. It's something she's been consulting with the city about since 2015.

"We would have wider sidewalks, perhaps a protected mobility lane there, narrowing the street a little bit, bringing the speed down," said Paskey. "That would … improve the walkability of Kensington, the safety of Kensington, and make it a more beautiful place to gather."

She says she'd also like the city to consider building a pedestrian bridge over Crowchild Trail for children and seniors who have trouble crossing the the busy roadway in the time allotted by the traffic lights.