5th Avenue S.W. lane reversal to end June 10

The city is ending its four-year experiment with two-way traffic on Fifth Avenue through the downtown west side.

Starting on June 10 at 6 a.m., the lane reversal that has allowed two lanes of westward traffic will come to an end, the city's transportation department website says.

The temporary lane reversal, which was set up on a daily basis by road crews, was intended to relieve congestion on Fourth and Sixth avenues.

But Coun. Evan Woolley says that because of the economic downturn, traffic in the downtown has dropped significantly.

And now, with fewer cars in the core, he says there is enough capacity on the major roadways to bring commuters downtown without too much congestion.

"It's costly to put it out every day and then put them in and take them out," Woolley said. "So when we were looking at a permanent solution, it wasn't really required — so we can find significant cost savings associated with removing this reversal."

Woolley also said the surrounding communities found the lane reversal unsightly and unsafe.

According to Pat Grisak, senior leader of operational Improvement, the city has spent approximately $150,000 per year on the temporary installation.

The transportation department said the city might consider reinstating a permanent lane reversal in the future if funding is found.

The two-way traffic pattern was introduced in May 2015 from Seventh Street to 11th Street S.W. for the afternoon rush and then expanded in October of the same year to be in effect during all hours except the morning rush.

Deidra Garyk works in the core and says she took advantage of the lane reversal.

"I'm actually very disappointed that the city has decided to cancel that project because I really do think that there is value for commuters," she said. "I just found that it was a lot less congested. And it gave me options for different routes to take."

Phil Unger owns a business on the avenue and says the lane reversal was a progressive move that helped bring down congestion.

"I've certainly seen fewer people as a result of the downturn," he said. "But certainly traffic at times is still traffic in Calgary, and that hasn't gone away."  

Unger said people still need to come into and leave the core, and any investments the city can make to ease those commutes is welcome.  

As the two-way returns to an east-bound one-way, there will be no parking allowed along this stretch of Fifth Avenue S.W. on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to accommodate peak traffic.