A pilot project is one way to describe the Bridgeland Polka Dot Intersection, but it’s far more than just that! This “fun and whimsy” project took place in August of 2018 and its goal was to calm traffic and create a safer intersection. The uniqueness of using brightly painted polka dots captured the attention of many and had residents wishing that colourful safety approaches could be used on more intersections throughout the city. Hopefully Calgarians will see more intersections popping with bubbles of colour!

Around 30 neighbours helped on the day of the project, which included painting the fun dots. The dots helped extend the curbs on all four corners of the intersection to shorten the walking distance of the crosswalks. The coordinators liked seeing neighbours safely walk across the road, instead of making a mad-dash across the road. ActivateYYC funded $750 that went towards painting supplies, signage and a street use permit. As a first-of-its-kind project in Calgary, it took quite a bit of time to prepare. The Bridgeland Riverside Community Association worked closely with the City of Calgary, creating a dynamic duo that completed an awesome pilot project!