Calgary city council targets 26 risky intersections with $6M safety upgrade plan

Calgary is using artificial intelligence to identify and fix its most dangerous intersections, and city council is being asked to approve $6 million in new spending to upgrade 26 high-risk locations over the next three years.

The city's AI platform assessed all 17,000 intersections in Calgary, scoring each based on traffic volume, pedestrian activity, speed limits, and road configuration. The analysis identified 50 uncontrolled intersections—those without traffic lights or pedestrian signals—that scored between 93.55 and 99.02 on the risk scale.

Topping the list is Martindale Boulevard and Martindale Gate N.E., with a maximum score of 99.02. Falshire Drive and Falton Drive N.E. scored 98.54, followed by Madigan Drive between Madeira Way and Manora Place N.E. at 98.13. These highest-rated intersections fall just short of the threshold (9,000 vehicles per day) that typically triggers installation of rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs), the safety devices that use flashing lights to alert drivers to pedestrian crossings.

Administration says the AI approach allows the city to "proactively advance improvements at these locations rather than waiting for future traffic counts, warrant studies or collision history to justify intervention under traditional processes."

The recommendation comes amid a record pedestrian crisis. Last year, 15 pedestrians were killed on Calgary roads—a 225 percent increase from the previous year. In February, a two-year-old child was struck and killed by a Jeep while being pushed in a stroller by their parents in a marked crosswalk.

Ward 4 Councillor DJ Kelly, who sits on the community development committee, said AI is being used alongside public feedback and professional assessment. "AI is giving us another tool, and it's great to have that validation," Kelly said. He noted that many locations flagged by AI were already on the city's radar due to public complaints, and measures are already underway at two sites identified by AI in his ward.

Kelly cited distracted driving—particularly cellphone use—as a pressing safety issue that makes upgrading intersections urgent. "Those are things 20 years ago you didn't need," he said, referring to flashing lights designed to pull drivers back from their phones.

The committee will debate the proposal September 1. If approved, the funding would be added to the existing budget for safety improvements and likely debated during budget deliberations in November. Ward 5 Councillor Raj Dhaliwal, the committee chair, disagreed with Kelly's assertion that previous councils underfunded safety infrastructure, but otherwise agreed on the need for enhanced pedestrian and driver safety.