Skip to content

Funding uncertainty puts second Banff pedestrian bridge on hold

Construction of a second pedestrian bridge over the Bow River in Banff has been pushed back to 2021 while the municipality waits for the Alberta government to confirm that $2 million from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program will be provided to the municipality for the project
banff_pedestrian_bridge9874cdouce-702x483
The pedestrian bridge over the Bow River in Banff. RMO FILE PHOTO

BANFF –  Funding uncertainty may wash away a plan for a second pedestrian bridge across the Bow River.

While the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation announced a donation of $2.5 million towards the $5 million bridge from Central Park to the recreation grounds earlier this year, another $2 million in grant funding still hasn’t come through.

Town of Banff officials say the foundation’s generous contribution is contingent on $2 million in funding from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), which flows through a provincial program.

Although the federal government has approved the funding, the Town of Banff is still waiting on confirmation from the Alberta government that the money will be distributed. 

“There is still some uncertainty around the grant funding for this project,” said Chris Hughes, the Town of Banff’s corporate services director.

“Until we have a firm understanding of what that funding will be, we thought it would be best to defer it.”

The Town of Banff’s $500,000 contribution to the $5 million project remains in the 2020 capital budget for design work.

With better transit connections and more convenient pedestrian and cyclist routes, the Town of Banff has long touted this project as a potential way to reduce traffic across the Bow River vehicle bridge, benefiting visitors and residents alike. 

Officials say a pedestrian bridge would also provide a safer route than on-street cycling on the Banff Avenue bridge, as well as deal with safety concerns given winter crossings across the river between Central Park and the rec grounds are commonplace.

While construction has been pushed back until 2021 rather than this year as initially planned, Adrian Field, the Town of Banff’s director of engineering, said administration wants to leave $500,000 in this year’s budget.

“This project probably is good to carry on with design; it might be one of those shovel-ready projects,” he said.

“This could be attractive for some stimulus type funding even if ICIP doesn't come through.”

The pedestrian bridge aims to give  visitors and residents convenient access from the downtown hub to attractions on Cave Avenue, such the recreation grounds and Cave and Basin National Historic Site.

Based on pedestrian counts of the sidewalks on the Banff Avenue vehicle bridge and ongoing survey data, the Town of Banff expects between 5,000 and 8,000 crossings per day during the peak summer period.

According to the Town of Banff, pedestrian traffic over the Bow River (pedestrian and traffic bridges combined) increased 53 per cent from 571,159 to 872,542 crossings, from 2015 to 2018.

The Town of Banff recorded 5,000 crossings per day, in peak season, on Muskrat Street Pedestrian Bridge, for a total of 900,000 crossings in 2018.

Meanwhile, council plans to reduce the 2020 capital budget by almost $14 million from $47.8 million to $33.9 million – and possibly more as the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout evolve.

 

Follow RMOToday.com's COVID-19 special section for the latest local and national news on the coronavirus pandemic, as well as resources, FAQs and more.


Cathy Ellis

About the Author: Cathy Ellis

Read more


Comments

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks