With world leaders and media arriving for the G7 summit this weekend, the city is trying to keep city roads as stress-free as possible. At a Wednesday press conference, Mayor Jyoti Gondek and city operations manager Doug Morgan outlined a series of temporary actions the city has taken to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible between June 14 and 18. That includes the reopening of all lanes on the Fourth Avenue Flyover to improve eastbound access into downtown. On the west side of Ninth Avenue, lanes that have been closed for Enmax utility work have been reopened to reduce daily traffic jams in the area. About 15 utility projects across downtown have been rescheduled to free up key routes used during the G7. Signal maintenance and timing optimization in strategic locations was finished before the G7 to ensure better pedestrian and traffic flow. Dynamic traffic-response systems are in place to adapt signal timing in real time to restore normal patterns after motorcades pass through intersections. “All of this is designed to balance the needs of Calgarians with the requirements of hosting a world class event, and to help you get to where you need to be with as little disruption as possible,” Gondek said. “But we know that all the work can’t stop. Some road improvements are critical, and they are moving forward because you’ve all told us that these matter to you.” The city said to anticipate heavier traffic near Deerfoot Trail, Stoney Trail, downtown, and in the area around Calgary International Airport. Also, the airport tunnel and ramp from 19 Street to Airport Trail will be closed June 15 to 18. There’s no stopping or parking along airport perimeter roads between June 14 and 18. There may be rolling closures for motorcades across the city between June 14 and June 18. “Our traffic management center, our team will monitor the roads 24/7 with access to real time data and live camera feeds,” said Morgan. “They can quickly respond to changing traffic conditions and keep things moving. We’ve ramped up our efforts to use tools to help Calgarians get around safely and smoothly.” “Just remember that these disruptions, while they are necessary, are also temporary, and they ensure the safety and security of everyone that’s involved, from residents to our international guests,” Gondek added. The mayor also asked that anyone planning to protest do so in a respectful manner. With files from CTV’s Teri Fikowski
