New Bike Lanes in Calgary: Love Them or Hate Them?

0:00New bike lanes just opened up in Calgary's Sunnyside neighborhood, running along 7th Avenue Northwest from Sunny Hill Lane to 9th Street and 2nd Avenue Northwest. They hit the streets back in January, aiming to calm traffic and boost safety for cyclists and pedestrians in this busy community spot, right by an elementary school. These lanes come with concrete barriers that narrow the road and cut down on parking spaces, which has folks gripping about lost spots and potential, hits to home values. Critics say the area's vehicle traffic doesn't justify the hassle, especially since no piled up all winter, making the lanes useless and pushing, bikes back into traffic. Residents are split hard, some call them ugly in a waste on social media, with one regular cyclist arguing for simpler fixes like speed bumps instead. On the flip side, school council leaders praise how the narrower road slows drivers, cutting risks near homes and kids crossing.

1:00Mobility advocates chalk up early woes like snow removal and signage as temporary kinks, noting most homes have alley access or reserve front spots. The local counselor points out the road's old trolley history made it super wide before, so these changes fit the community's spine perfectly. Its warmer cycling weather rolling in, expect more riders to test these lanes and settle the buzz one spin at a time. I'm Corey with the story and you've been listening to Calgary News today, AI-powered local news.