Lower deck of Calgary’s Centre Street Bridge to temporarily open

The City of Calgary is temporarily reopening the lower deck of Centre Street Bridge to motorists Tuesday after being closed for two years.

In a statement to CityNews, the city says the pathway that was being used by cyclists and pedestrians exclusively is being reopened to help make it easy for drives to “visit downtown this shopping season.”

“There are other existing and planned closures in the downtown core, and the Centre Street lower deck will help alleviate some congestion in the core,” said Tara Norton-Merrin, a representative with the City of Calgary.

Motorists and pedestrians still have a place for them to use, according to the city.

“The pathway underpass under Centre Street bridge will temporarily open through the winter to allow Calgarians to walk and wheel in a dedicated space,” Norton-Merrin said.

She also says cyclists can still use the lower deck but will have to share it with motorists.

The lower deck was initially closed in February 2020 due to COVID-19 and remained that way due to other developments.

“Several different projects have kept it closed to vehicles over the years: Covid closures in 2020 for social distancing, bridge rehabilitation work (early 2022), flood mitigation work (summer 2022) and the Eau Claire Project closures,” Norton-Merrin said.

The city says the rehabilitation work on the bridge included upgrading the existing railings and installing screens above the concrete arches on the underside of the bridge. Around $1.5 million was budgeted for pedestrian and cycling railings.

Centre Street Bridge crosses the Bow River along Centre Street in the southeast part of downtown Calgary and was originally built in 1916.

Cyclists criticize move by the city

Some cyclists have been disappointed in this change and have expressed their frustration on social media.

https://twitter.com/Matticusssss/status/1599111040620716032

“How absolutely disappointing is it that [the City of Calgary] would declare a climate emergency and then, after 2 and a half years, reallocate space from low or zero carbon transport back to city and climate killing vehicles? For the “convenience” of drivers at the expense of all,” said a user on Twitter.

Another noted the concerns that cyclists face and will continue to face as they will have to share the space.

Some noted the cost of rehabilitation work on the railings for pedestrians and cyclists was enormous and then pointed at the move, leaving them in the dust.

The lower deck was closed to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists from February 2022 until June, for the pedestrian upgrades.

The city says the lower deck will be closed again in spring 2023 to complete the pathway underpass.

In addition, the detour on Riverfront Avenue will be removed temporarily to allow for the pedestrian pathway to open but will be put back in place in the spring of 2023.

-With files from Joey Chini.