A Calgary city councillor is proposing a $6-million investment in traffic safety projects across the city as collisions, injuries and pedestrian deaths continue to rise. Ward 8 Coun. Nathaniel Schmidt has introduced a notice of motion directing city administration to allocate up to $6 million from Calgary’s 2026 positive operating variance toward a traffic safety improvement pilot. The proposal will first be considered by the executive committee on Tuesday. If advanced, it would then head to council for consideration on June 30. The proposed funding would support community-level traffic safety projects such as rectangular rapid flashing beacons, marked crosswalks, speed humps, speed cushions, curb extensions and other traffic-calming measures. According to the motion, Calgary has recorded nearly 9,000 vehicle collisions through the end of April, including roughly 900 injury collisions and 10 fatalities. Five of those deaths involved pedestrians. The motion states Calgary has seen a “rapid increase in traffic fatalities” since 2023 and argues additional investments are needed to reduce preventable injuries and deaths. The city’s Safer Mobility Plan aims to reduce major injury and fatal collisions by 25 per cent by 2028, but the motion argues Calgary remains on track for another year-over-year increase. If council approves the pilot, administration would be required to return with a report by September outlining how the program would be implemented, how results would be measured and what projects could move forward in each ward. The report would also examine whether revenue from parking enforcement could be redirected to fund future traffic safety initiatives. Pedestrian fatalities remain a concern The motion comes as Calgary continues to see a series of serious collisions involving pedestrians. A woman in her 30s died after being struck by a commercial truck while crossing Bow Trail S.W. in a marked crosswalk on Friday afternoon. Police say six pedestrians have now been killed in Calgary traffic collisions so far this year. Calgary police note most of the city’s pedestrian fatalities in 2026 have occurred in marked crosswalks. “Pedestrians, if you see vehicles, don’t anticipate they’re going to stop for you just because you have the right of way on the road; make sure you get that eye contact with you and make sure that vehicle is stopped, not even rolling, but stopped before you step out on the road,” said Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward. Police are urging drivers to anticipate pedestrians at intersections and crosswalks, particularly in high-traffic areas. Woodward added he would also like to see additional markings and flashing lights installed at more crosswalks to help draw drivers’ attention to pedestrians.
