Our Blog

17th Avenue Paving Project

17th Ave SW Gets a Facelift
Information from City of Calgary News Blog

After 30 years, we’re rebuilding 17 Avenue SW so it can continue to serve businesses and citizens for decades to come. What started out as a routine road maintenance project, turned into one of the more complex projects on The City’s docket. The biggest factor? It’s location.

1 Macleod Tr to 2 St SW_Resized
Macleod Trail S.E. to 2 Street S.W.

In the heart of one of Calgary’s most popular places to shop, dine, and do business, one does not simply dig up the 2.5km road between Macleod Trail and 14 Street SW, replace 3m deep utilities and then rebuild the road. In addition to this work, the project includes new sidewalks east of 2 Street SW, improved sidewalk space and pedestrian crossings at all intersections, new LED lighting and a new road design.
Logan_resized2
How is The City planning this project so the 17 Avenue SW area can continue to be a great place to visit during construction? Project manager Logan Tolsma explains, “We’re approaching this project differently because of its unique surroundings. We’ve been meeting with businesses and learning about their priorities for the past year. That includes regular meetings with BRZs and a questionnaire for businesses. It allowed us to learn about their busy times, deliveries, access, patio locations- all the things that combined, results in their success”. Tolsma adds, “In the end, this information feeds directly into the construction planning.”

3 Volunteer Way Gateway_Resized
Volunteer Way (Centre Street S.) Gateway

That intimate approach applies to how construction is now unfolding. “We actually changed the schedule once we heard that businesses wanted more predictability and lead time before construction started,” Tolsma continues. That means starting the less impactful shallow utilities this year, followed by the major work in 2017 and 2018. This two-phase approach also provides less risk to the project overall. Furthermore, a contractor will be hired seven month before the major work begins. The extra time means a better approach to planning and staging the construction in this busy entertainment district.

5 5 Street SW Gateway_resized
5 Street S.W. Gateway

“When it comes down to it, we want to make sure people can still get to the area safely while we’re doing this work,” Tolsma confirms. “While we can’t make the construction invisible, we can certainly do our best to make sure it respects the people and businesses that make the area a great place to be.”

7 14 St SW Gateway_resized
14 Street S.W. Gateway

You can read more about the 17 avenue SW reconstruction project at calgary.ca/17avenue.

Share

Share

Blogs you might also like

white candles on brown dried leaves

Halloween Weekend on 17th Ave | Spine-Tingling Parties to Family-Friendly Festivities

Are you ready to dive headfirst into a weekend of Halloween shenanigans on 17th Ave? From spine-tingling parties to family-friendly festivities, there’s something for everyone ...
Read More →
Saddledome Calgary

Vintage Flames Merch on 17th Ave | FromAnother

Get ready, because the epic Battle of Alberta (Heritage Classic style) is B A C K! And if you’re a devoted Flames fan, you’re in ...
Read More →
Businesses of 17th Ave

Businesses You Should Know About on 17th Ave

17th Ave is home to 700+ unique businesses, some that you know and some that you might not. In this series, we’ll introduce you to ...
Read More →

From Fearless to Folklore: 17th Ave Has Your Taylor Swift Eras Movie Outfit

Are you ready for it?… The Taylor Swift Eras movie that is. Shake it off in style and find your Taylor-inspired look down on 17th ...
Read More →

5 Things to Do This Week

If you’ve ever wondered why everyone’s raving about this avenue, consider this your VIP ticket to discovering the secrets hidden behind every corner. Whether you’re ...
Read More →

Dog-friendly Patios On 17th Ave 

We love a dog-friendly patio here on the Red Mile, and so do our amazing 17th Ave businesses. From coffee shops and cafes with a ...
Read More →