Banff will close its main street to vehicles this spring & here’s what you need to know

The Rocky Mountains come to life in the warmer months and in the spirit of giving visitors more room to enjoy themselves, the town of Banff, Alberta, has announced that it will be reopening its pedestrian zone this spring.

Starting May 15th, vehicles will be denied access in order for them to prepare for the sunny season, in which only foot traffic will be permitted in the downtown area.

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This zone will include the streets between Wolf and Buffalo, as well as the adjacent sections of Caribou Street and will only permit pedestrians, cyclists and skateboarders between May 19th and October 13th.

Roam Transit busses, however, will continue to use Banff Avenue and will increase frequency this year in order to get as many people to and from main attractions around the park.

“What started as a safe way for residents and visitors to enjoy our downtown during the COVID pandemic has become a major attraction with overwhelming support from visitors from across Alberta and around the world,” said Darren Enns, Director of Planning and Development for the Town of Banff.

“We made a commitment to our community to reopen the Pedestrian Zone in 2022 and 2023, providing certainty going into our busy summer months. In the fall, the Town will ask residents and businesses for input on a concept of a recurring summer pedestrian zone into the future and what would need to be considered if that goes ahead. Public input will be collected for council’s consideration.”

According to their website, Banff sees over 30,000 pedestrians each day during the summer, and with the pedestrian zone, people will be given more room to walk, visit shops and use public seating – which is a win, win for visitors and local businesses.

Have questions? Head over to their website, otherwise – get stepping! Banff is an Alberta treasure and you won’t want to miss it lush, green and lively. Enjoy and happy staycationing!