The pedestrian Peace Bridge has been getting both praise and criticism from Calgarians for its design and over whether it’s really needed.
Don Mulligan, director of transportation for the city, said the bridge is required because there are no roads that can be added into downtown and there are limited opportunities to add transit.
“Walking and cycling don’t take up as much room, they are available to everyone, and don’t use as much energy,” he said.
The city estimates that 120,000 people work downtown, with that number to increase to 180,000 by 2025.
The bridge is expected to handle 5,000 pedestrians and cyclists daily.
“(Downtown) is by far the densest area of the city, and because of that there are a lot of people who walk and cycle far more than any other area,” Mulligan said.
The Centre City Plan calls for two other pedestrian and cyclist bridges going into downtown.
