The Green Line LRT project has been given the green light despite a motion earlier in July to pause the project.
On Monday night, city council approved a set of 11 amendments looking at Stage 1 of the Green Line.
Construction on the first 20 km is expected to begin in 2020 and will extend from 16th Avenue North to 126th Avenue SouthEast. The first stage of construction is expected to be completed by 2026. Once the first stage is complete, the line will be expanded incrementally to the north and south as funds become available.
Stage 1 of the project includes:
- 14 stations
- 8 bridges
- 1 km of elevated track between Inglewood/Ramsay to 26 Ave stations
- 3 park & ride facilities
According to the City, stage 1 of the $4.6 billion project will carry about 60,000 Calgarians daily. When the Green Line LRT is fully finished, it’s expected about 240,000 Calgarians could use it daily.
Green Line LRT project amendments approved
Earlier this month, Coun. Evan Woolley presented a motion to pause the project for a reset. The ward 8 councillor suggested the city work with an independent third party for the review of both the contracting Green Line LRT strategy and to review the risks associated with alignment decisions that could negatively affect downtown real estate.
Coun. Woolley withdrew that motion Monday after some of his suggestions were adopted in the amendments.
Highlights of those amendments include:
- Directing administration to split Stage 1 of the project into multiple contracts from 16th Avenue North to 126 Avenue South.
- Directing administration not to proceed with construction until a review of the 16th Avenue North to 4 Street SouthEast leg has been finished and any potential changes approved by council
- Direct administration to conduct a feasibility review of potentially including the North Pointe to 16th Avenue corridor along Centre Street in Stage 1 if the 16th Avenue to 4th Street corridor is not resolved by January 2020
- Direct administration to have the Green Line Technical Risk Committee to carry out an independent review of the project
- Direct administration to not call for bids on the south leg of the project until it has been reviewed by the Green Line Technical Risk Committee
