Calgary Considers Three Downtown Routes for Long Delayed Green Line LRT

The City of Calgary has presented three potential routes for the downtown section of the Green Line LRT, giving city councillors several options as officials attempt to move the long delayed transit project forward.

The proposals were developed after city administration reviewed engineering assessments, technical studies and the potential effects of each alignment on downtown businesses, public spaces, traffic, pedestrians and the overall urban environment.

Two of the three proposals would place the LRT on an elevated structure, while the third would operate at street level in a dedicated transit lane. The alternatives come after years of disagreement between the City of Calgary and the Alberta government over how the Green Line should pass through the downtown core.

The first option is based largely on the route previously proposed by the provincial government. It would create an elevated LRT alignment along 10th Avenue before continuing onto Second Street S.W. The route would connect with Calgary’s existing Red and Blue CTrain lines near Seventh Avenue S.W.

According to the city’s assessment, Option 1 is the most advanced of the three proposals and is expected to attract the highest number of passengers. Ridership is projected at approximately 51,000 passengers per day.

However, the route would also come with the highest additional cost. City officials estimate that Option 1 would be approximately $1 billion above the available budget.

The Green Line is already one of the largest infrastructure projects in Calgary’s history, with an estimated cost of about $6.25 billion. The city’s report warns that constructing an elevated structure along Second Street S.W. could have substantial consequences for surrounding properties, public spaces and businesses.

Construction would also take place within an already constrained downtown corridor, creating additional challenges for traffic movement, pedestrians and commercial activity.

The dispute over the downtown alignment has been one of the biggest obstacles facing the Green Line.

The City of Calgary originally planned to build the downtown portion underground. However, the Alberta government rejected that approach in 2024 and withdrew its financial support for the project at the time.

The province later returned to the project with a different proposal calling for an elevated alignment through downtown.

Construction on the Green Line began last summer, with the project currently targeting the start of passenger service in 2031.

City council requested new downtown alternatives in June as councillors continued to examine whether a different route could provide a better balance between cost, construction impacts and long term transit needs.

Option 2 would also use an elevated structure but would follow a different path. It would travel along 10th Avenue and continue toward First Street S.E.

Unlike Option 1, this route would not include a station in the Beltline area. Its projected ridership is approximately 43,000 passengers per day.

The second option would also exceed the current funding allocation, although by a smaller amount than Option 1. City officials estimate the additional cost at approximately $500 million.

The third proposal takes a substantially different approach.

Instead of building an elevated structure, Option 3 would operate at street level in a dedicated transit lane. The route would follow 10th Avenue and end at a station located between First Street and Second Street S.W.

The city estimates that this option could be delivered within the existing funding available for the downtown portion of the Green Line.

However, the financial advantage comes with a projected reduction in ridership. Option 3 is expected to carry approximately 41,000 passengers per day, making it the least used of the three alternatives according to the city’s projections.

The at grade design would also place the transit system more directly within the existing street environment. Supporters argue that this could reduce the physical impact associated with a large elevated structure while allowing the LRT to become more integrated with downtown streets and pedestrian areas.

Several Calgary officials and community representatives have expressed support for the third option.

Peter Oliver of the Beltline Neighbourhoods Association said an underground route would have been his preferred solution, but he does not believe an elevated structure would help efforts to revitalize downtown Calgary.

With an underground option currently opposed by the province, Oliver believes the surface level alternative may represent the most practical remaining choice.

Councillor Dan McLean has also indicated support for Option 3, pointing to its lower cost and potentially smaller impact on the downtown environment.

He argued that Calgary needs to select a route that can receive provincial approval while also protecting taxpayers and keeping the project moving.

Councillor Myke Atkinson, whose ward includes the downtown core, has similarly expressed a preference for the surface level design.

Atkinson has raised concerns that an elevated LRT could negatively affect downtown property values, economic activity and public safety. He believes the surface route would avoid some of the long term consequences associated with elevated infrastructure.

Mayor Jeromy Farkas has also signalled that he is leaning toward Option 3, although his primary concern is ensuring that the Green Line moves forward without further delays.

Farkas has argued that Calgary has spent years debating the project and that the city now needs to make a decision and proceed with construction.

He has indicated that the lower cost of Option 3 could leave more money available for other portions of the Green Line. He has also suggested that choosing the surface option downtown could preserve the possibility of building a future tunnel for the section beyond downtown and across the river.

Farkas has proposed exploring a partnership with the federal government to finance such a tunnel and has indicated that he wants a proposal developed before the end of the year.

The mayor has also made clear that Calgary must ultimately consider its own long term interests when choosing the alignment.

The provincial government, however, continues to oppose an underground downtown route.

Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen said Alberta is prepared to examine refinements to the proposed alignment but remains committed to an above ground solution.

The province has emphasized controlling costs and delivering a transit system that provides reliable service without the expense associated with tunnelling.

The city’s three options will now move forward for further political consideration. If councillors choose either Option 2 or Option 3, approval from both the provincial and federal governments would be required.

The decision could have major consequences for the future appearance and function of Calgary’s downtown core.

The Green Line is expected to become a major component of Calgary’s public transportation network, connecting communities in the city’s north and southeast with the downtown area. The choice of downtown alignment will therefore influence not only construction costs but also future development, traffic patterns, businesses and the experience of residents and visitors.

For Calgary officials, the central challenge is finding a route that can satisfy competing demands for affordability, construction speed, transit capacity and downtown revitalization.

Option 1 offers the highest projected ridership but carries the largest budget increase and significant construction concerns. Option 2 provides another elevated alternative but still exceeds available funding. Option 3 offers the strongest financial advantage and avoids elevated infrastructure, although it comes with the lowest projected ridership.

After years of uncertainty, city leaders now face a critical decision over how the Green Line should pass through downtown.

For Mayor Farkas and several councillors, the priority is increasingly clear: choose a workable route, secure the necessary approvals and finally deliver the transit project to Calgary residents.

Courtesy: CBC