Green Line LRT | ?m | ?s | Calgary Transit

[InfrastructureEnthusiast]

Can't say I like the station placement, if this is going to be elevated then they can scope the eau Claire station back in, four elevated stations would cost about the same as one underground.

As is, 2st should move a block south to integrate better with the subway that should get built at the same time. And 10av could move 2 blocks east for better spacing.

 

[lemongrab]

So...they're just trotting out the exact same renders from the AECOM report we got over 13 months ago with graphics slapped on them that say: Noise and Vibration! Property Impacts! Safety! ????? And the engagement is super broad and just fishing for complaints instead of focusing in on things like station access details...

Not sure what I was really expecting, but I thought there'd be at least something resembling advancement. Seems like this should have happened by last summer, or at least November if they wanted to wait until after the election...

 

[CalgaryTiger]

I'm really not sure why the stations need to be so contained in such a massive structure.

Between the multiple levels of station boxes, they seemed to take an underground station footprint and just bring it above ground.

 

[trtcttc]

I'm really not sure why the stations need to be so contained in such a massive structure.

Between the multiple levels of station boxes, they seemed to take an underground station footprint and just bring it above ground.

It looks way too long. I think the GL is two car trains? That looks like it can fit 4?

 

[darwink]

It looks way too long. I think the GL is two car trains? That looks like it can fit 4?

Two 42 m Urbos (plus whatever is needed for a coupler) (if these don't auto scale, they should be proportionate)

 

[whatchyyc]

Edit: Frustrating that there's no pic (that I can see) of the elevated line crossing 7 Ave. Just views from near 8 Ave and near 10 Ave.

The first photo is actually 7th ave, they just didn't put any trains on it and there's a car

 

[Urban_Views]

To me this train looks closer to what the CABR would look like.

 

[lemongrab]

It looks like it's just the same train model as is placed on the green line itself. But the placement on the freight tracks is suggestive given its a GoA image. I was going to say it's funny that we didn't notice it when the AECOM report came out...but the train isn't in the image in the report:

(this same image still with no train appears again in Appendix 3 - page 110 of the pdf)

But the AECOM report did have a train there on the 6 St SW option:

It's probably not significant, especially since it doesn't even correspond with the GCS vision below, but it's definitely curious how the city ended up with that version of the image.

I've asked this before but I can't remember the answer - why does it seem like certain structures may be allowed relatively low clearance over the freight tracks, but LRT has to go so high over?

 

[badc0ffee]

The first photo is actually 7th ave, they just didn't put any trains on it and there's a car

I think the street parallel to/under the station is 2 St SW. But where is 7 Ave? I can't see anything crossing 2 St other than an alley. But maybe I'm missing something.

 

[lemongrab]

The amount of GCS stuff in the report has always been very curious. I think the desire for direct integration was a big reason behind the province's actions here, though the price tag for the Lynnwood stub made it reasonable governance in itself.

PDF page 114 shows a GCS version with GL and commuter rail at grade and HSR elevated:

But everything else in the report seems to have them all elevated. Is it as simple as them liking the station design more with everything elevated? Or it became clear with CPKC that other tracks would need to be elevated...but then building elevated tracks over their ROW doesn't make much sense...

 

[outoftheice]

Anyone planning on attending the virtual session tonight?

https://twitter.com/x/status/2021370019670786326

 

[Red Star]

Anyone planning on attending the virtual session tonight?

https://twitter.com/x/status/2021370019670786326

Yup.

I'll take meeting notes for the forum

Edit: It's a bit of a snooze fest. No new renderings. No firm decisions made. Some people have good questions.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

Some notes about some things I found interesting.

The mandate from council is to use 2nd Street but not necessarily 10th Ave. I've personally tried to "square peg, round hole" a surface train on 11th and then begin the guideway portion much further west and turn it up 2nd Street but I do not want to block the much nicer properties on 11th. I was trying to use the fact that utilities had already been moved from 11th Ave but on the call, they said most of those utilities were moved to 12th Ave. 10th is the place to run the line. Just hope the guideway can be shifted to the northside of 10th Ave, at 9 metres wide (the width of guideway on the blue line) it doesn't have to cover the whole avenue.

Another thing was that staggered stations are being considered. I think a staggered station over 7th Ave would be thinner while still allowing for a central crossover area above 7th with a +15 level walkway below the guideway between Stephen Ave and 6th Ave. That would future proof the line to work with a Stephen Ave subway which is still something the City wants to do. I wish the 10th Ave station could be moved off 10th and on to the parking lot but I don't know if the City wants to buy that whole property. Could also be awkward to turn onto the property from 10th Ave.

 

[whatchyyc]

I think the street parallel to/under the station is 2 St SW. But where is 7 Ave? I can't see anything crossing 2 St other than an alley. But maybe I'm missing something.

It's here, you can also see the end of the 3rd street platform

 

[TooBizzy]

I wish the 10th Ave station could be moved off 10th and on to the parking lot but I don't know if the City wants to buy that whole property. Could also be awkward to turn onto the property from 10th Ave.

I'd rather leave that lot for future development right next to the station. Granted I've been an L booster since the start (despite my misgivings for the incompetence and recklessness of our provincial government).
I do think a covered street would make for an interesting feel to the public realm, likelier to be "Calgary's grungy living room on 10 Ave" over "Calgary's oppressive eye sore on 10 Ave".

But +1 for the suggestions to optimize the space there and for 7 Ave Station. That Downtown Station has some serious opportunity waiting for it if they can stick the landing. Future subway connection, existing CORE mall & Stephen Ave connection, potential 250m+ on the NW corner of that intersection (foundation is poured for it).

Ridership estimates already put that station close to Waterfront in Vancouver, and that's without doubling it in the future with a north line.