Inglewood bridge meeting cancelled amid conflicting visions for new span

A disagreement between the city and community groups about how to replace a rusting bridge in Inglewood has prompted officials to cancel an upcoming public meeting on the project.

The iron span on Ninth Avenue S.E. adjacent to Fort Calgary has allowedpeople to cross theElbow River since 1909.

Now the city says it's time to tear down thethree-lane bridge, and replace it with a four-lane crossing.

But Leslie Robertson, with the Inglewood Community Association, says nearby residents fear a wider bridge will only draw more traffic to the area.

"We do not see Ninth Avenue as being a conduit that is transporting suburbanites to downtown. We see it as being our main street," she said.

The disagreement has prompted the city to cancel a public meeting on the project later this month.

The city's general manager of transportation, Mac Logan, says his team will take another look before asking for input.

"We would usually look at that as a four lane. It's four lanes coming in from the west, Eighth Street. You know, is the Eighth Street rail crossing still going to be there? Maybe you drop a lane? There's a whole bunch of different questions to be answered. That's normal, that's the stuff we got to sort out," he said.

Rebecca O'Brien, executive director of the Inglewood Business Revitalization Zone, says she's concerned a wider bridge will make traffic flow at a higher rate through the heart of Inglewood.

"It is the very nature of traffic calming and constriction that slows down the traffic and is beneficial for the main street vibrancy," she said.

O'Brien says city officials are listening to community concerns because they are committed to the goal of creating more pedestrian-and cycle-friendly neighbourhoods.

No new date has been set for a public meeting.

Construction on a new bridge is supposed to start in 2018.

The historic 12th Street bridgeover the Bow River connecting Inglewood to the Calgary Zoo is also being replaced.

Once the $19-million replacement is constructed to the west of the circa-1908truss bridge, the old crossing will be taken down.

Thatproject is slated to be finished in late 2017.

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