A temporary plan to address safety concerns of those accessing the Legacy Trail at Banff National Park’s east gates will go ahead, but without support from the residents of Harvie Heights or its municipal government.
Officials have decided a permanent solution to the issue of pedestrians on the four lane Trans-Canada Highway just outside the national park gates will involve connecting the trail all the way to Canmore and the Travel Alberta visitor information centre.
However, without funding, a temporary solution is being put forward to pave one kilometre of trail to the Harvie Heights overpass and allow recreational users to access the route from the hamlet.
While Canmore and Banff councils unanimously approved putting $50,000 each towards the project, MD of Bighorn council refused a motion of support, instead preferring only the permanent solution.
MD Councillor Paul Ryan expressed concern that in several years from now those involved may change their minds and prefer the temporary solution, while Reeve Dene Cooper said the money should all be focused on the permanent fix.
“Every dollar spent on a temporary solution is a dollar that cannot be spent on a permanent solution,” Cooper said, adding the process is putting the cart before the horse. “I am reluctant because the south side connector possibility and costs remain unidentified.”
In addition to the $100,000 from Canmore and Banff, the provincial government through Tourism Parks and Recreation has agreed to fund $200,000 towards the one kilometre trail extension to reach the overpass.
As for the remaining 4.75 km to reach Canmore, MD of Bighorn planner Tracy Woitenko said total costs and funding are as yet unclear.
“In the short term, to get them (cyclists) safely across the highway, this is the best solution until a permanent solution funding becomes available,” she said.
Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen said while a permanent solution is the best option, something has to be done in the meantime.
“I feel this is the right thing to do whether or not all communities are involved,” she said, adding funds used for the interim solution will also contribute to the long-term connector trail.
Manager of engineering for Canmore Kevin Van Vliet said the plan is to immediately hire a contractor to begin work this summer on the temporary solution regardless of the MD not supporting it by motion.
“Ideally, there would be support, but technically it could be done without their approval,” he said.
The overpass is under the jurisdiction of Alberta Transportation and Parks Canada is providing barriers to separate vehicles from pedestrians.
Canmore Coun. Hans Helder expressed support for the long-term solution that would cost less than building a pedestrian overpass across six lanes of highway.
“I think it is a very positive development there is discussion on a south side solution rather than finding an expensive way to cross the highway,” he said.
In a letter to MP Blake Richards, who has been working on a solution to the safety issue, Harvie Heights Community Association president Eugene Lipinski cites the community’s current problems with cyclists as a hurdle to allowing the trail to be connected to the community.
He notes cyclists already refuse to use a trail connecting the hamlet with Canmore and ride at times up to four abreast across the roadway despite oncoming vehicles.
With usage on the Legacy Trail at approximately 900 people on busy days and 800 of those on bicycles, Lipinski states approximately 560 per day will mix with automobile traffic on the busy two lane roadway through Harvie Heights.
“Despite legal rights, in practice, this is a setup for recurrent disasters,” he wrote in a submission, adding there is also a parking problem at the Palliser trailhead.
“The best solution would be to continue the east end of the Legacy Trail along the south side of the Trans-Canada Highway, which would solve the issues of crossing the TCH, business egress driveways in Harvie Heights and the issue of hundreds of cyclists daily trying to coexist with automobile traffic on the Harvie Heights access road.”
