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“It’s a really disappointing thing from our inner-city connectivity perspective, and I’ve been an advocate of the idea that 8th Street shouldn’t close since long before I was a city councillor because as we densify and make the neighbourhoods of Inglewood and Ramsay more vibrant, we need to increase the connectivity and the options for people to move around,” Carra said.

One benefit of the Green Line is that it will better connect these communities, Carra argues. But he says that when the crossing closes, there will be a big gap for traffic, with more than a kilometre separating the nearest vehicle crossings on 4th Street and 12th Street S.E. — a gap he says necessitates the need for a new crossing.

According to the city, about 3,000 vehicles use the crossing each day, which is considered local traffic that will not affect the road network in a significant way. That traffic will need to cross at 4th Street or 12th Street S.E., while cyclists and pedestrians can use the Elbow River Pathway on the east riverbank to cross under the tracks.

The city says it’s also looking into underpasses or overpasses at various north Ramsay locations and that it expects to still be able to quickly respond to emergency calls in the area after the closure.

Carra is helping to plan a commemorative event for the crossing to take place over lunchtime at Fort Calgary on Jan. 15, with more details to come. He says the stretch of road has historic significance for Indigenous communities.

“This pathway that’s closing predates Inglewood, it predates Ramsay, it predates CP Rail. It’s actually one of the most ancient pathways on the landscape, as Blackfoot people, specifically from the Fort Macleod area, came up and did trade at the confluence (of the Bow and Elbow rivers),” he said.

“It’s been used by humans for thousands of years. And we’re closing it now.”

jherring@postmedia.com

Twitter: @jasonfherring