For decades they’ve been the bane of Calgary motorists — the dreaded bus traps.Now the last of them have finally been filled in after the city first proposed doing so in 2022.Except the name ‘bus trap’ is a bit of a misnomer. Since the 1970s, Calgary has been home to more than half a dozen so-called ‘vehicle traps’ dug into roadways to stop motorists driving regular cars from entering transit-only areas.They’re literally pits dug into the roadway spanned with iron bars like a massive Texas gate, wide enough only for transit buses and emergency vehicles to pass over..If not?Motorists caught trying to take a shortcut or simply napping risked serious damages to their vehicles or life and limb. Not to mention insult to injury, when transit buses are backed up behind a lane that was meant to be kept clear.And in fact, they were often mistaken for Texas gates by unaware out-of-towners. Drivers were also being trapped by GPS systems that didn’t recognize the hazards. Residents in neighbourhoods that had reported the disruptions were a daily occurrence for almost 50 years. .“As you can imagine, ending up in a bus trap resulted in damages and costs as well as being a scary experience for drivers.“Mobility Director Troy McLeod .Now the city says they have outlived their usefulness due partly to the proliferation of smaller shuttles and emergency response vehicles such as ambulances that aren’t able to pass through.The last of the notorious man pits was filled on Beddington Trail and Centre Street N.W. earlier this month.Instead, it will be installing new signage and using traffic cameras to hand out tickets as warranted..“As you can imagine, ending up in a bus trap resulted in damages and costs as well as being a scary experience for drivers. They’re also counterproductive because transit service is interrupted when a vehicle is stuck in the exact lane that was meant to be kept clear,” the city’s Mobility Director Troy McLeod said in a statement.“I’ve spoken with people who accidentally drove into a bus trap and it was a terrifying experience for them,” he added.“When it comes to these old traps, the consequences are excessive and they disrupt transit service. We have more effective methods to ensure compliance and safety for Calgarians and removing them was simply the right thing to do. We’re here to support the safe movement of all people and goods in our city.”
