'Bicycle ambassadors' to help Calgarians navigate expanded cycle track

If you commute downtown, you've likely seen all the new bike infrastructure going up.

Calgary's cycle track system is expanding and is set to open at the end of June.To help cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles navigate the new routes, the city has hired five summer students to be "bicycle ambassadors."

"With any new project things can take time to get used to. We really want to facilitate that learning process and make it a smooth transition," saidKatherine Glowacz,the city's active transportation education planner.

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"Armed with a positive attitude" in bright blue T-shirts, Glowacz says the new bike ambassadors will beanswering questions and providing travel tips all summer long at community events.

Calgary's new cycle tracks, which are part of a one-year pilot project, aresegregated from vehicle traffic with physical barriersin several areas downtown:

• FifthStreet S.W. (ThirdAvenueS.W. to 17thAvenueS.W.)
• 12th Avenue (11th StreetS.W. to FourthStreetS.E.)
• Eighth Avenue S.W. (11th StreetS.W. to Macleod Trail, excluding Stephen Avenue)
• Ninth Avenue S.E. (Macleod Trail to FourthStreetS.E.)

"Some intersection will have separate bicycle signals and separate motorist signals to avoid conflict in these areas," said Glowacz.

During daytime hours, cyclistswill share the road with pedestrians on Stephen Avenue and the Olympic Plaza block.

"It's really been designed to be a slow and safe street," saidGlowacz.

She says the new bicycle ambassadors can also be booked through 311 to do informal talks at office towers for downtown employees.